Something Otherworldly
by leeleepupu
Summary: "But can't you see it, Hermione? I can never let you go. And I am not going let anyone else have you." "That's one of the most selfish things I've ever heard you say." "And the most honest and the only promise I will never break. It's already done. There's no point in fighting it." DISCLAIMER- ALL CHARACTERS BELONG TO JK ROWLING!
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER -1

She was standing in front of him, giving him a defiant glare which he graciously returned with one of his infamous smirks. She looked away, trying to control the anger threatening to burst forth any minute.

"_Stay away_" She told him tersely without meeting his gaze. She could feel his grey orbs searching for her brown ones. She knew he wanted to intimidate her. And she knew he could. And she didn't want to give him that chance.

"I am done, Draco, I don't want anything to do with you."

She finally gave in and met his gaze. His amusing eyes were met with her pleading ones. He took her hand in hers- firmly. She just shook her head and tried to pull away when she felt him pull her against him.

He yanked her towards him and she sighed. Defeated.

"Why? I thought you liked the dark. Didn't you want this? To be close to the sexy mysterious enigma of a guy whom no one else could fathom? Didn't want to be the special one who could understand him? Envy of all? Didn't you get what you wanted? Don't you finally _get_ me? _Know_ me?" He mocked her cruelly, snaking an arm around her waist.

"I was stupid. I was a kid. I _am_ still a kid. I don't want this. Any of this." She said peeling herself away from him. She knew he wasn't taking this seriously. He was mocking her because he was a little upset. But she knew he wasn't _angry_. And that meant that he wasn't taking any of this seriously. '_That's something to look forward to,'_she thought to herself sarcastically, '_The angry Draco Malfoy.'_

"Sweet, innocent, Hermione..." He drawled skimming her cheek with the back of his palm. She flinched and moved farther away.

"Do you know what everybody is saying about you? They're all saying that you're my whore. That I stick it to you every day. That that's the only reason I keep you around" He chuckled a cold chuckle.

Hermione just rolled her eyes. She knew he wanted to hurt her by his words but his effort was futile. They had never had sex. Or kissed for that matter. At least not on the mouth. There were times when he would ruffle her hair pleasantly and kiss her cheek when she would be taking about something. But those were rare times. Untouched by arguments or insults.

"You're innocent because of me. Because _I_didn't let anybody ruin it. Or you. And now you're leaving?" He spat indignant.

"What the hell does that even mean? Huh?" Hermione shouted back. She could feel her cheeks warm up. She wanted to hurt him. She wrapped her fingers around her wand in the pocket of her Gryffindor robes.

She wanted to run away from him.

She never ever wanted to see him again.

But she knew he wouldn't let her go.

She knew he...he loved her too much.

Her eyes widened with disbelief at the thought which came to her a moment ago.

_HE LOVED HER?_

Of course he loved her. In his sick twisted way he loved her, didn't he? That's why he'd never let her go. He'd insult her at times, try to control her most of the times, argue with her more than half the time, but he'd never ask her to leave.

"What that means is that because of _me_ nobody dared to touch you. Or do _anything_for that matter! Do you have any idea what happens to little prefects who go strolling the corridors late at night carelessly? They come to know the importance of doing rounds with partners the hard way. _I_saved you, NOT your Weasel and Pothead. _Nobody_dared to cross _me._" He said victoriously, his eyes gleaming gleefully. He was scaring her.

"What do you want, Draco? A thank you card? Is that what you want?" She asked him angrily, her eyebrows knit together in pain and confusion. She was so tired.

"You're damn well right, I expect some gratitude. You could start by _stop_ being a spineless spoilt brat and by bucking up." He said walking towards her. They were in their colossal Hogwarts library. The library was empty and they were standing on the far end, rendered invisible to other students because of their distance and the colossal bookshelves that came in between. Hermione had also cast a _muffliato_ spell to avoid any eavesdroppers.

"You could start by staying." He took both of her hands in hers, intertwining their fingers.

"I know you think I am your sun, Draco...and I know you consider yourself the moon. But don't you see? You have to stop living through me. Stop using my light to shine." She hesitated before adding,

"You... you're sucking the light out of me." She forced herself to say. She could suddenly feel her back being slammed against the wall. She winced from the pain and groaned. She opened her eyes to find herself being exposed to Draco's chest. She could feel his breath on her head.

"You're not leaving." He growled in her ear. She shivered involuntarily.

"I didn't know you loved me so much." She finally said. She could feel Draco stiffen against her, processing the words that she had just spouted. And then, he ripped himself away from her.

"I don't love you!" He scoffed indignantly hurting Hermione further.

"Well, that's good news. I should leave, then."

Draco's strong hands caught her small wrists and pushed her against the wall. He buried his face in her shoulder. She could feel him shake. He was sobbing softly.

"Don't leave me."

"Stop crying, Draco," She said softly, wrenching her hands free from his grasp and pulling him into an embrace. She rubbed his back gently- the way he liked it. And then she dug her nails in his back and dragged it forcefully down, till his waist, making him cry out in pain.

He glowered at her. "You little wench-"

"Shut up, Draco! I am so done with you and your stupid lies and crocodile tears. I know you're going to take the Dark Mark. Leave me the fuck alone."

He grabbed her wrists before she could storm away and yanked her towards him.

"Don't you think you're letting that tongue of yours run rather wildly?" He whispered angrily, dangerously.

"Blah, blah, blah. Are you done with your theatrics, you git? What do you want from me!?" Hermione screamed pushing him away.

"You're going to be mine. It's pathetic to even fight it. You're _mine,"_ He growled advancing towards her. He wanted to intimidate her and he was succeeding. Almost. Hermione took a deep breath to rein in her temper while she said tersely,

"I am not _yours_. I belong to myself... I am breaking up with you. You are officially du-"

But she couldn't finish her sentence because his lips descended on hers to pull her in a brutal searing kiss. She tried to fight him off with her hands but he caught them with one of his hand and held them above her head. She clamped her mouth shut tightly refusing to allow him entry into her mouth. She would knee him in the gut but she was held tightly against the wall.

He bit on her lip hard, making her gasp and suddenly be engulfed by his tongue.

His mouth tasted like cigarettes and sorrow.

She stopped fighting. But she didn't participate. Sensing her submission, he loosened his grasp on her hands. She seized this moment to grab his hair, and rip his face off of hers. He groaned in pain from the force and staggered back. They both were breathing heavily.

"Not bad for a first kiss huh?" he asked smirking. His grey eyes gleaming with joy and triumph. Oh, how she wanted to crush his soul!

"You are an asshole. And that," She said between breaths. "Was not my first kiss."

His stance changed immediately. His back straightened and he glowered at her.

"I thought I was your first boyfriend." He said with gritted teeth.

"Yeah, so?"

"Who was it, then? Some French bloke in France?" He growled. "_WEASELY?"_He punched his fist on the wall next to her face, making her shudder, but also reminding her why she was doing this.

"It doesn't matter, Draco. You reminded me why I was doing this. You're too volatile, too violent, too possessive for me to handle. And I know Draco Malfoy that you are planning on taking the Dark Mark!"

"I WON'T!" He screamed.

"Okay, let's play _that_ game now, where you pretend you aren't being pressurized by your vile father to take the dark mark!" She screamed back. "While we're playing this game, I think Astoria would be perfect for you, she's had a crush on you since forever and she's the perfect pureblood airheaded girlfriend for you." Hermione said mocking him bitterly.

Draco's blood boiled. She wasn't only pulling this stupid act of 'dumping' him and talking about his father but she was also trying to fix her up with some bimbo? That thought infuriated him further. But he knew screaming at her would only prove her right so he took a deep breath and tried to rein in his temper.

"'Mione, come on, let this go. I'll let you meet the Weasel and Scarhead more often. I-"

"Their names are Ronald and Harry! Godric, Grow up, Draco! This is getting very unbecoming of you! I was friends with Ron way before I knew you, okay? I love both Harry and Ron. And you can _never_ seem to grasp that concept! You continue to mock Harry and Ron cruelly disregarding my feelings!"

"Do you have to keep saying that?" He asked, frustrated, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Hermione frowned, "What?"

"That you _love_ them, Dammit! You never say that you love _me_! And you're all over them. WHY do you even need them or anybody when you have _me_?" He shouted making Hermione's heart patter against her chest crazily. He hated it when she brought Scarhead and that stupid Weasel up. _Everybody_loved them. Especially that stupid wanker Potter. Why couldn't anyone love Draco? Why the fuck couldn't Hermione love Draco? _Only_Draco? That wasn't too much to ask, was it? Draco didn't think so.

"Not love _you?"_ She screamed back incredulously. _Of course, I love you, you sodding moron, but you're not right for me. We are not right for each other,_Hermione thought to herself painfully. She could feel her insides chip away slowly because Draco thought she didn't love him. She loved him with every fibre of her being. And that's why it was so hard to leave him. His family was crazy. Even though Draco had promised Hermione that he wouldn't take the Dark Mark, Hermione worried about him going back on his promise. His temper was getting worse every passing day. He was getting violent, paranoid and crazy. And she just couldn't take it.

She remembered the first time she had met him, in the high class party her parents had thrown when they had shifted to England from France.

_Hermione had been waiting anxiously for Ronald and his family to show up. Mrs. Weasely was close friends with Hermione's mother. They both had been classmates in school. Hermione knew Ron from her childhood. They were very good friends. She wasn't that good friends with Ginny but she hoped to be. Hermione had left Beauxbatons Academy and she wanted to tell Ron that she was to join Hogwarts now._

_As she greeted all the guests, she was most struck by the Malfoys and their identical pale blond hair, especially the younger Malfoy who scrutinized her with a sneer. She felt offended and violated as he scanned her petite form but she didn't say anything except offer a polite, cold smile which he hadn't bothered returning._

_She made it a point to steer clear of him for the rest of the party. But she couldn't help listening to the gossip revolving around him. She heard a girl, Astoria, say that Draco, that was his name apparently, was top in his class and he was the perfect 'pureblood husband' material because of his looks, money and blood status which shocked Hermione immensely. She was surprised to come across such shallow people who searched for such shallow traits in a life partner. She also heard he was great 'in the sack' which confused her and after it was explained by a giggling pug-faced girl, Pansy, Hermione couldn't stop blushing at the intimate detail she was privy to about someone she didn't even know. She also came to know that Malfoy didn't really have 'girlfriends'; only flings which made Hermione dislike him immensely._

"_Do you want to dance?" Somebody's voice had startled Hermione. She had turned around to see a tall lanky bloke standing there. She remembered greeting him and his parents but she couldn't quite recall his name. He was rather good looking._

"_Of course." Hermione had said because that was polite thing to do. At that time, Hermione felt very awkward because she hadn't danced with a guy before and she was a little self-conscious in her off shoulder knee-length black dress. But her partner, Theodore Nott, as he had told her his name was, didn't seem to mind. He even asked her to call him Theo. _

_Hermione liked him. He was really funny. They even got on to making fun of the snobbish ladies who were huddled together and viewing everybody else with a disdainful look. Theo confessed his mother was part of the group too and so was Malfoy's, Hermione noted._

"_Well, I must confess, I was rather taken aback with you being so nice, Hermione. When mother 'suggested'," Theo had made a face, "That I go dance with 'Miss Lyra', I was a bit sceptical, I thought you'd be like those," Theo said nodding towards Pansy, Astoria and her little sister whose name Hermione couldn't remember, "Airheads who think they're better than everyone else. You're fine, though," He had said smiling politely._

_He had twirled Hermione around and Hermione caught stormy-grey eyes glaring at her with that same awful sneer. It was him. Draco Malfoy. But he wasn't alone, though. He was accompanied by a dark skinned boy who was taller than Malfoy and who was looking at Hermione with an interested look. She felt immensely uncomfortable._

_Theo noticed this because he had asked what the matter was to which Hermione nodded towards the pair who were speaking to each other with their eyes pinned on Hermione. Theo only smiled at Hermione and led her to the pair, to her utter horror. Sensing her tension, Theo had asked her to calm down that they were all friends. He had also said that they were all in the same house, Slytherin._

_At that time, Hermione only had a faint idea about the Houses at Hogwarts because of Ron, who mentioned it sometimes to her, but all in all she had had no idea of how intense the rivalry between houses could become._

"_You looked really pretty while dancing." Blaise said, even before Hermione had the chance to greet the two friends properly. Quite taken aback by his boldness, the only thing Hermione could conjure up was an uncomfortable smile. She secretly wondered if Blaise was making fun of her._

"_She's coming to Hogwarts with us from now on." Theo said, grinning._

"_Which House are you hoping to get sorted into?" Blaise asked. Hermione felt like a little kid who was being asked what she wanted to be when she grew up._

"_Um, does it matter?" she asked, confused._

"_Of course, it does! What if you end up being a hufflepuff?" Blaise asked with distaste._

"_I hope you get sorted into Slytherin." Theo said, wrapping an arm around my shoulders._

"_That's unlikely. She isn't cut to be a Slytherin." Malfoy had sharply said which hurt Hermione a little. Now when she thought about it, it was a compliment for her._

"_And why exactly is that?" She had asked raising her head in defiance. He had merely looked down at her with an amused smirk and said, "Because you're too much of a Virgin Mary to be in Slytherin."_

_What the hell is that supposed to mean?, Hermione wanted to lunge at him to wipe off that awful smug but she was interrupted by Theo._

"_Reckon she'll be in Ravenclaw then?" Theo added quickly, he was holding Hermione by her shoulders tightly, trying to calm her down._

"_Let's just hope she's not a Gryffindor." Blaise said with disdain._

"_Why?" Hermione barked angrily. "My friend is in Gryffindor and he's really amazing. I would love to be in Gryffindor."She crossed her arms across her chest as she spat the words at Draco instead of Blaise._

_Draco did something that completely took Hermione back and even to this day, his action still confused her._

_He had smiled._

_It was a chaste smile, unadulterated with his malicious sneer or smirk. It was a very beautiful smile, which immediately made Hermione lose her concentration and wonder why on earth was she overreacting on issues she didn't care about or comprehend completely. Draco's smile surprised not only Hermione but also Blaise and Theodore. They had hardly ever seen Draco smile much and now he was smiling for this girl he had met a minute ago?_

"_Be careful what you wish for, Princess." He said with that evil gleam in his eyes which disturbed Hermione deeply._

"_That was such a creepy thing to say." Hermione blurted without thinking and blushed profusely but she was surprised by the chuckles that emanated from the boys, including Malfoy._

_Hermione had to excuse herself from them a moment later because she had caught a flash of red hair and she knew it belonged to one of the Weaselys. They were all very excited to see Hermione and Ginny was squealing with delight when Hermione revealed her admission into Hogwarts. They had chatted away for hours till it was time for them to leave, which, Hermione felt, was too soon. She did notice the tension between The Weasely family and others present there. This probably triggered their abrupt leave._

_Later, when Hermione had gone to the Balcony to clear her head she was found by_the _Draco Malfoy surprisingly. She was sitting on the broad railing, her legs dangling in a carefree manner; she was listening to muggle songs on her walkman. She took off her earphones and stared at him, waiting for him to explain his presence but he merely stared ahead as he propped himself on the broad railing._

"_What's that in your hand?" He finally asked. She found his grey orbs looking at the walkman lying on her lap._

"_It's a walkman." When he gave her a flat stare, devoid of any emotion, Hermione concluded he wanted her to explain further. "It's a machine-"_

"_Is it muggle?" She noted the disgust emanating from his voice._

"_Yes, it is." She said feeling a little angry at his contemptuous tone._

"_What are you doing with something as lowly as that?"_

"_It is not lowly! I love muggle music and I love muggles and-"_

"_Blood traitors and filth." Malfoy ended her sentence. She looked at him confused. What was he talking about? The word blood traitor wasn't alien to her but it was the first time somebody had said it to her._

"_What the hell are you talking about?"_

"_You're friends with the Weaselys. They fraternize with mudbloods and that stupid man, Arthur Weasely, is obsessed with muggle artefacts."_

"_Shut up! How dare you insult Mr. Weasely like that? And blood superiority is a stupid notion. Anyone can be clever, talented despite their blood status. They all are my friends and if you can't respect that then we can't be friends."_

"_Who said I wanted to be friends?"Malfoy asked, startling Hermione. He was closer, his breath fanning her face. She immediately looked away from his penetrating gaze._What's wrong with him?_She had thought._

"_Well, you_are_sitting here making a pathetic attempt at conversation, I suppose in your twisted way this is your idea of making friends." She had said, crossing her hands across her chest, refusing to meet his eyes. _

_If she had, she would've noticed how surprised Draco had looked. He was surprised that a person he had met a few hours ago was able to see behind his cold demeanour and his mean comments to see his true intentions. He didn't feel comfortable knowing that she could read him that easily. He imagined his Father scoffing at him for letting a girl who didn't even know him a day know his feelings._

_But somehow he couldn't help feel a little more than fascinated. Her pretty auburn curls falling below her waist, framing her heart-shaped face, her chocolate brown eyes penetrating into his cold grey ones._

"_Who said I wanted to be friends?" He repeated again, slowly. This time Hermione couldn't help herself to meet Draco's gaze. He was leaning forward, which panicked Hermione to no end! But surprisingly, he reached for the walkman in her lap and was looking at it curiously. Hermione took the earphones and surprised him by putting it on his ears. He was absolutely astonished by how the little device was singing into his ear. He could not hear the crickets singing in the night, or the hooting of the owls, it panicked him a bit, because he couldn't even hear himself think. Why did she like something like this?_

_After sometime, Draco could see why. For some time, there was no one else but he and the night and the song._ _Maybe Hermione was the kind of person who enjoyed such things. Maybe Hermione was one of those rare girls who were interested in_life_, not just the shallow pursuits involved in it._

_He heard a muffle noise, Hermione's voice, he guessed, say something. He took off the earphones and said, "What?"_

"_I said, you should smile more often. You look nice._" She said. _Draco was surprised at her comment. He didn't even realize he had been smiling._

_ "_Oh, baby, baby, it's a wild world; it's hard to get by, just upon a smile_." She sang, surprising him further, her voice clear in the silent listening night and chuckled in the end._

_"So smile more often, Draco Malfoy"_

_He took the walkman and leaning towards her, he placed it in her hands, which lay limp in her lap. Hermione turned her head to smile at Malfoy when she felt something soft on her cheeks. Malfoy had kissed her on the cheek and he was getting off the railing where she sat frozen trying to process the event that had unfolded. Her shock slowly subsided and she turned quickly to check if he had left. But he was standing right behind her; startled, she was about to fall when his strong hands captured her shoulders and steadied her._

"_Thanks, Malfoy." She said, as he helped her get off of the railing._

"_My name is Draco."_

_She looked up to make sure she hadn't heard wrongly. Did Malfoy want her to call him by his first name?_

"_Want a blood traitor calling you from your first name, do you Malfoy? You shouldn't fraternize with such people." She said in a light tone, but the bitterness in her words could not be concealed._

"_I don't see why you're so pro-muggle?"_

"_Why are_you_so anti-muggle? I mean, they are awesome. We have all this magic at our use to aid our health problems and help secure rights and solve crimes but they have their own intelligence and each other to depend on and look what a wonderful job they have done." She said holding up the walkman._

"_A stupid muggle device?" He mocked, looking away, feeling a little uncomfortable under her judgemental gaze._

"_Yes! A muggle device made without any magic plus the songs. They are so hopeful and honest and so are majority of the muggles. They are so much better than_these _phonies." She said nodding her head towards the ball room where the party was held. Draco's gaze immediately went to his parents who were speaking with Blaise's mother and her new husband._

"_What I am trying to say is-"_

"_You can bore me all about muggles tomorrow." Draco suddenly said surprising Hermione. His frowns and knotted eyebrows were at ease. He had a determined look on his face._

"_Tomorrow? What's tomorrow? School doesn't start until after the next two weeks!" she had said, confused, wondering whether she misread the letter from Hogwarts confirming her admission._

"_But I am taking you to lunch tomorrow." He wasn't asking._

"_What? No!"Hermione protested to which Draco said, "Brunch then? Or a late night rendezvous?" His eyes gleaming with mischief which made Hermione grimace and roll her eyes. _

_"Fine, whatever. Tomorrow." She said suppressing her smile successfully._

"_Noon." He said, leaving, but not before he kissed Hermione's cheek again making her blush. As soon as he left, Hermione chided herself for giving in to his charms. She would be one of those silly girls the infamous Draco Malfoy had bed. Her mother didn't let her use the owl to inform Malfoy, no, Draco, No,_MALFOY, _she scolded herself, that she had no intention of coming tomorrow. Her mother said it was far too late and it would seem quite indecent for a girl to send an Owl so late, at which Hermione couldn't help roll her eyes. But there was a part of her who didn't want to thwart the 'date'...Was it? She wanted to know Draco Malfoy. The real Draco Malfoy. He didn't seem so bad..._

As Hermione finished reminiscing, she realized how accurate Draco had been. She had behaved like a silly kid who had romanticized the whole idea of getting to know the 'bad boy' and now she was deep in the devil's snare.

"Draco, I'm sorry." She said, as she grabbed her wand in her pocket.

"You're leaving too." He said flatly. His voice and face devoid of all emotion.

"I'm sorry." Her voice was quiet and so were her insides. She couldn't feel her insides anymore.

"Now that I've lost everything to you. You say you want to start something new. And it's breaking my heart you're leaving. Baby I'm grieving. But, if you wanna leave take good care. Hope you have a lot of nice things to wear. And a lot of nice things turn bad out there.Oh baby, baby, it's a wild world. It's hard to get by just upon a smile. Oh baby, baby, it's a wild world I'll always remember you like a child, girl" He said softly, while Hermione looked at him dumbstruck. He remembered...the lyrics...of the song she had sung...but that had been only one line. Did that mean Draco had searched for that song and learned the lyrics? She could feel the hot wet tears rolling down her cheeks. For a minute she forgot why she was causing so much pain to herself and to Draco. Why she was doing all this? Was she some sick sadomasochist? But then slowly and painfully, reason seeped in. The dark mark, the crazy Draco she couldn't handle but loved crazily. She hadn't even told how much she loved him. But telling him now seemed crazy. Telling him now would only make it worse and it wouldn't help him or her.

And this also meant that Draco was letting her go.

She couldn't believe that. A part of her felt relieved but a big part of her was shocked. _Am I not worth fighting for?_A stupid vain part of her asked. She muffled the silly vain voice and steeled herself to leave, but not before wrapping her arms around Draco's torso. She felt his hands on her shoulder for a second before they ripped her body off of his'.

She was shocked at the aggression but she didn't get much time to respond as she felt his lips crash on hers.

_This is goodbye,_it said.

A/N- Hi ! This is my first DRAMIONE FANFICTION so please be kind in your comments! I would love suggestions! And PLEASE READ AND REVIEW! Tell me how you find the story so far!


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER -2**

"'_Mione, I can't believe you're dating Draco Malfoy. What's wrong with you?" Ron had screeched when he had come to know. Hermione flinched at her friend's tone. School had started a week ago and Hermione had been introduced to Harry. They had become friends immediately. _

_Hermione, in a private sorting session meant only for the eyes of sixth years, was sorted into Gryffindor much to Blaise's and Nott's disappointment. Malfoy, however, boasted the victorious smile. He had been right, Hermione had thought grudgingly. Although Hermione had cleared any idea in Draco's mind about their lunch date being an actual date, she couldn't help but agree to 'hang out' with him whenever possible. _

_When he was with her, he was different. Even in front of his friends, Draco wasn't the Draco Hermione knew personally. She didn't know why Draco hid his real self from everybody. Sometimes she even wondered whether _**she**_ knew who the real Draco was. There were just too many to count at times. When she tried confronting Draco about this, he'd usually give her vague answers and brush it off. _

"_Yeah, Mione, don't you know that Draco's father is a death eater? That he could be a death eater too?" Harry said, looking impatient. Hermione still refused to budge._

"_What is Draco's fault if Lucius Malfoy chose to be a death eater? And Draco is _NOT _a death eater. He couldn't be... And I know you both mean well, but I am a big girl, I can take care of myself!" She had protested. But the seed of doubt had been planted in her head and she couldn't help but keep confirming her faith in Draco by pestering him over his beliefs about muggles, muggle-born witches and wizards and more importantly, his loyalty to Voldemort. _

_Draco hated it when Hermione brought any of these topics up. Their relationship was entirely consumed in debates on what was right and what wasn't and what the meaning of loyalty meant to each of them._

_Draco said that he would do what was required of him as a Malfoy and more importantly, what was required of him to protect his family. It was times like these that Hermione would feel absolutely neglected and alienated and more importantly, scared. These answers would increase her scepticism in him. These answers would make her think Harry and Ron were right. _

_When she was with him, he felt different. He didn't worry about what his father thought of him, what would happen as a result of Voldemort's rise to power, his brutal training with his Aunt Bellatrix, which was getting tougher as the days passed. She was teaching him Occlumency and preparing him for duels. He had promised Mione that he wouldn't take the Dark Mark but his promises were made in vain and in an attempt to calm her fears down. _

_Stupid Potter and Weasely would keep resuscitating her fears leaving it to Draco to drown them back. The whole point of her objections and discussion was moot. Draco had already been marked. He was a death eater. Out of his guilt for betraying her, he was patient with her. He patiently soothed her down each time she came with another reason why Draco should choose the light side._

_And with his hardcore training, Draco had been completely worn out. He'd be summoned by Snape where he'd be forced to practice Occlumency. The potions teacher was ruthless and forced Draco to use every ounce of energy to protect what was rightly his' and only his'- his thoughts and memories._

_And when he'd meet Mione she'd badger him on and on about his loyalty and he would lie shamelessly to put her fears to rest. But as time went on and wore him out, he began to snap mercilessly at Hermione, mock her even. Mock her beliefs, her friends, her complete being. _

_He couldn't help it. He knew it was wrong. He knew he was at fault. Not only was he betraying her, he was also destroying her with his comments. But he couldn't let go of her. He just couldn't. And he couldn't help but hurt her a little. His rage was becoming uncontrollable. He was just so angry. After one of his 'emergency trips to his home to retrieve a book' he had been brutally crucioed by Aunt Bella who seemed disgusted at what a softie Draco had become. He needed to harden himself. _

_When he got back, he was met with an overenthusiastic Hermione who was all excited about how she had successfully tamed the thestral and rode it even. She was one of the few who were able to see the thestrals. Though she didn't know why because she hadn't had any close member of her family die. And Draco, who was all worn out, couldn't help but snap at her. _

_He could see the hurt displaying over her face but he was just really tired. They were sitting in the library where he was desperately trying to tend to his homework. Draco Malfoy was really tired and he couldn't find it in himself to listen to his girlfriend blabber anymore. Guilt swelled in his heart with Hermione's next action._

_She pulled his parchment and quill away and pulled his head to her chest, where he released a content sigh. Her softness and warmth surprised him. Even felt alien to him. He hadn't been held in such a long time. He hadn't felt tenderness being extended to him in such a long time. He wasn't allowed to spend too much time with his mother. He had to be trained to become a death eater. Trained to be ready to kill the headmaster. He cast all his thoughts aside and focused on the warmth and softness pressed against his face. He could feel her heart beating against her chest loudly. _

_In her arms, all her words made sense. Loving muggles, loving mudbloods, loving blood traitors, fuck, even loving Weasely and Potter made sense. In her arms, he found peace. In her arms he found her forgiveness for his crude and disgusting behaviour. In her arms, he found his reason to live and reason to never let go._

_The library was completely empty and Hermione was feeling bad for Draco and she felt a hug could cure his sorrow or whatever it was that was bothering him. Shadows hung from his lashes below his eyes, his face was creased with worry lines and he wouldn't smile anymore. He was becoming so mean and angry. He was truly scaring her. He was going to a dark place and he wouldn't let her help him. Somehow Harry and Ron's words kept coming back to Hermione. What if Draco was going to take the dark mark? Surprisingly, the thought that Draco might have already taken the dark mark never crossed Hermione's mind because such was her trust in Draco._

_This was her small way of reaching out to him and calming him down. This was her way of asking him to come back to her. She was soon blessed with soft snores from Draco which made her chuckle. She transfigured one of the books into a pillow and gently laid Draco's head atop it while she kept her pride, honour and morals aside and picked up Draco's quill to finish his homework. All of it._

_She had called Zabini and Nott to help take Draco to his room. He was in a deep slumber. He hadn't even roused when Blaise and Theo bickered on which side who should carry. Hermione was way too tired to sit there and find out who lifted Draco how so she went to her dormitory and fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow._

_The next day in The Great Hall Hermione's eyes scanned the usual seat Draco took with Theo and Blaise as she entered the Hall. She was however, disappointed to see that it was empty. She consoled herself saying he must've probably slept in. As she sat down to have her breakfast with harry and ron, she felt something on top of her head for a second and then she felt a hand ruffle her hair. She knew it was Draco, who had kissed her hair and ruffled it because Ron was growing really red and Harry's knuckles were turning really white. Only Ginny giggled and winked at Hermione appreciatively. _

'_Thank you' He had whispered in Hermione's ear before going away to join his friends. Hermione, who was too embarrassed at Draco's bold public display of affection had done nothing which seemed to have upset him immensely though one couldn't have known from Draco's expression because he masked them so well._

_Later, however, he cornered Hermione, who seemed to be taken aback by his aggressive demeanour. _

"_You weren't so happy to see me this morning." He said in a bitter tone, his eyes shining with anger and malice. He wanted to hurt her. _

"_Are you ashamed of me, Lyra?" He had asked her through gritted teeth as he advanced towards her, scaring her. He used her last name whenever he was extremely angry with her._

"_What the hell are you talking about, Draco?"_

"_I am talking about this morning when you made no move to acknowledge my presence."_

"_What? That was me being absolutely shocked and embarrassed by your blatant display of affection!" Hermione spluttered, blushing at the memory of eyes staring at her, some curious, some jealous, some disapproving. _

"_Liar. You looked like you couldn't give two shits about me!"_

"_Wait, what the fuck are you saying Draco? Why are you saying all this nonsense? Do you _WANT _to fight with me or something? Because you've picked one of the lamest things on earth to pick a fight on!" She screamed and hit him with her book on the shoulder before storming away angrily._

_And from there, things would keep going downhill. He'd apologize, she'd forgive. He'd hurt her, she'd hurt him, they both would hurt each other. He would apologize and she would forgive. This vicious cycle was slowly sucking the life out of her. Her grades had dropped from straight Os to Es, her friends were worried over her depressed demeanour. The fall in her grades had resulted in her being called to Professor McGonagall's office who asked her why a straight O student was getting Es and A's in subjects. This horrified Hermione to no extent. E's had been okay with her but A's terrified her to no extent. Using the excuse of being unwell and not getting enough sleep, Hermione assured her head of House that she'll get her grades back. _

_Hermione noticed that she too had forgotten to smile like Draco had. He was like the Dementors. He was sucking her happiness out of her. But the difference was that she was in love with this dementor called Draco Malfoy and a part of her was willing to give up all her happiness if it meant having her happy Draco back. But Draco refused to let her in. He refused to even accept her help in his studies anymore after that isolated incident. His grades were falling too. But he didn't care. His distraught mother whose husband was in Azkaban didn't care. His father rotting away in Azkaban didn't care. And the teachers sure as hell didn't care what happened to the grades of a Slytherin son of a Death Eater._

_Only Hermione cared. _

_Unfortunately, it was never enough. She was never enough for him. His outbursts continued. He would fight her for silly things. Sometimes her hair, sometimes over her beliefs, sometimes over Ron's clothes and Mr. Weasely's job. Hermione didn't understand why Draco was picking up topics which were sure to hurt her and make her fight him. That's when she realized he might just be a sadomasochistic. He hurt her. He hurt himself. He apologized. He hurt her. He hurt himself. He apologized. And she forgave. She must be a masochist too, for putting herself through so much agony, she concluded._

_And that was also the time when she started suspecting that there might be some truth in Harry's and Ron's words after all. Maybe Draco was planning to take on the Dark Mark because he seemed so angry all the time and if Hermione raised this topic, he would burst, act all defensive, pick up a stupid issue and start fighting on it._

_And that is also when Hermione Lyra decided that she had had enough. She plucked up all her courage and asked one Draco Malfoy to meet her in the library where she managed to break her relationship with him._

-Hermione ate her breakfast stealing surreptitious glances at one Draco Malfoy who looked like a sheet of green. She was worried about him. He wasn't eating much nowadays and he was growing considerably thin.

She looked at him again and caught Blaise's eyes. Even though Draco and Hermione's relationship had come to an end, Theo and Blaise promised to remain friends with Hermione which had warmed her heart immensely. She gave him a worried look to which Blaise just shook his head, shrugged and looked away.

"'Mione, what's wrong?" Harry's voice broke her desperate attempts to catch Blaise's eye again.

"Huh? What?" She asked, feeling confused. Was Harry saying something?

"I asked what was wrong. You're all frowns today. Are you okay?"

" 'Eah, Hummony, wah izz rong?" Ron asked, his mouth full of food. Hermione sighed.

"Ron, could you not speak when your mouth I stuffed with food?" She said to Ron who seemed unabashed.

"Eh, sorry!" He managed to say after gulping his breakfast down with a large swig of pumpkin juice. She then turned to Harry and gave him one of her cheery smiles she kept for rainy days like these and said,

"Yeah, Harry, I am fine!"

Harry was far too clever to buy her lie but he didn't push. She hadn't told them that she had broken up with Draco. Although rumours were catching up. She knew she should tell them but she just wasn't sure if she could handle their happiness over her break up. She needed some solace and consoling, not smugness and self-proclaimed righteousness. Ginny, however, knew something was wrong and it didn't take her long to figure it out. Ginny hadn't been overjoyed at the prospect of Hermione breaking up with the Slytherin prince and neither was she extremely over saddened. She was, Hermione felt, trying her best to be as consoling as possible. And Hermione appreciated that of her friend.

She hadn't failed to notice the determination with which Draco was ignoring her. In potions, when they were partnered together, he hadn't even spared her a glance, he did his portion, not answering any question or greeting put forth by Hermione. This frustrated Hermione to no end. She wanted to shake him out of his stubbornness and make him talk to her but under professor Snape's glare she couldn't get in another word.

Later that night, when she was doing the rounds with Neville, she came across Draco and his pathetic sidekicks, Crabbe and Goyle. She had harboured a major dislike for the latter two. She felt they were crass, pathetic and stupid. And she didn't miss the fact that Malfoy used them for his entertainment. He didn't treat them as his peers like he did with Blaise and Theo.

"What are you doing here after hours, Draco? I will have to deduct your house points for breaking curfew." Hermione said in a stern voice. Neville who shifted on his feet uncomfortably beside her, said to Crabbe and Goyle,

"And you guys too. G-Get back t-to your Dorm right now." He tried to make his voice hard but failed miserably.

"And what are you going to do about if we don't do that, Longbottom? Kill us with your stuttering?" Draco mocked, making his two minions roar with laughter while Hermione rolled her eyes. Draco loved picking on Neville for reasons Hermione could never understand. For the time they dated, Draco, grudgingly, held on to his tongue in front of her but she knew that behind her back he butchered Neville's and several others' confidence mercilessly.

"Ten points from Slytherin for staying out of bed after curfew," Hermione said in a no nonsense tone. "Each." She added looking straight at Draco, who was giving her a disgusted sneer. There was no playfulness in his mockery. He was looking at her the same way he looked at Neville or whoever he wanted to hurt. Hermione found it hard to digest that Draco could be so cold to her.

"My, how will we ever live, bereft of thirty whole points?" Draco said clutching his chest dramatically. He advanced towards her, towering her to intimidate her and said, "Move."

"Make it fifty. Twenty more for the smart comments made at prefects. Now Neville, if you would be kind enough to escort Crabbe and Goyle back to their rooms, I want to have a word with Draco here."

When the three had left, Draco, stood leaning against the wall, his arms crossed across his chest.

"What is it?" He asked impatiently. He was still sporting hi sneer which infuriated Hermione off to no end.

"Why are you being like this?"

"Being like what?" He refused to meet her eyes.

"Being like this!" She shouted, frustrated, throwing her arms in the air. "So cold... and so...bloody distant, like, you don't know me or something! Why are you ignoring me!?"

"Well, what did you expect? Some sodding gift and a _thank you _card?" Draco mocked her cruelly repeating her own words she had said to him on the day she ended their relationship.

"Well, I thought we could be like civilised adults!"

"But a few days you were all 'I'm such a kid!'" he said doing a silly impression of Hermione's voice.

"_You're_ the one who's acting like a kid now, Draco. I thought we could be friends."

"_**FRIENDS?**_**" **He shouted making Hermione wince. "I don't want to be your_ friend_._ Why the fuck would I want to be your friend?_" he asked indignantly. He adorned a crazed look in his eyes which made Hermione take a step back.

"You want to be my friend?" He asked, his anger replaced with an evil smirk. "Then I guess I should tell you and treat you the way I treat _my _friends. I guess you'd want to know the countless girls I have shagged senseless, how many I reduced to sobs with a finger." He barked an evil laugh which made Hermione shudder.

"You're sick, Draco Malfoy." She said and turned to walk away when he grabbed her wrist and yanked her towards him. He looked like he was about to do more but he stopped himself abruptly and furiously massaged his forehead with his hand while his other hand held Hermione's wrist captive.

"What do you want Hermione?" He finally asked. His voice sounded so exhausted and tired...even pleading.

"What do _you_ want, Draco? Do you want us to be reduced to strangers?" She asked, her voice cracking at the thought of the pretence and heartache that would involve to ignoring Draco's existence.

"What I want?" He whispered, confused. _What do I want?_ He thought to himself. The answer was standing before him. He sat her down against the cold wall, performing a nonverbal warming spell and a disillusionment charm over both of them, and buried his face in the warmth of her chest.

"Draco, what are you-"Hermione wriggled uncomfortably under his grasp when he stilled her with both his hands.

"I really, really, want to sleep." His muffled voice said making Hermione's protests stop. His hands took Hermione's and bid them to start their practiced ministrations in hair and back. It had been an awfully long time since he experienced the tenderness and warmth again and it didn't take much time for him to succumb to sleep.

A cold draft of wind woke the sleepy platinum haired boy. He was a little disoriented initially but seeing the warm body sprawled across his chest, snuggling against him, he was reminded of yester night's events. The disillusionment charm and the warming spell had worn off but Hermione didn't seem to notice. She was safely ensconced in the blanket of her robes and his'. He cast another warming spell over them and that's when he noticed what the cold wind had hidden, his _morning phenomenon_ as Hermione liked to call it.

He felt himself blushing when he remembered the time over the holidays before School had resumed when Hermione had dropped in too early in the Malfoy Manor when he was still sleeping. She had come to rouse him and had been surprised with his _morning phenomenon_. She was rolling on the floor laughing, roaring rather like a lion, which awoke Draco who seemed annoyed and surprised to see her in his room and when he realized why she was laughing he had bombarded her with all his pillows and blankets till she ran out leaving him flustered and embarrassed. He remembered how she wouldn't stop giggling the whole day.

'How embarrassing is that!?' she had said bursting into giggles.

'It's not embarrassing at all. It is a normal phenomenon which occurs among men." Draco had said, really annoyed and embarrassed.

'Phenomenon?' she had started laughing again. 'Draco's _morning _phenomenon.' She had said and started laughing again crazily. He liked her laugh. It was such a carefree chiming of bells. Unlike the airheaded girls like Pansy who faked their laughs to make it more _ladylike_ and _likeable_, although it was anything but that. He remembered that was also the day when he had given her the golden snitch necklace he had gotten made especially for her. Which she had blatantly refused to accept. But after promising her that it was the only gift she'll ever receive from him, she accepted reluctantly. He, of course, had been lying, to make her accept his gift. It was a very important gift.

When Hermione snuggled closer now, Draco had to stop her. He gently pushed her away which made her stir and she awoke with a start.

"Wha- wha- where am I?" she asked, looking dazed. Her eyes were only half open and her hair looked like a real nightmare. Her eyes scanned the place and then rested on Draco. Now that's when her eyes became as wide as saucers making Draco chuckle.

"Oh Godric, No, Oh no. I can't believe myself!" She started muttering furiously as she started peeling his robes off of her body and put on hers. "I didn't return to the dorm. Oh no, what will they all say about me now? Hermione Lyra dumped by Draco Malfoy turns slut? Oh no, Oh Godric no! What will I tell Ron and Harry! And Ginny!? Oh No!" She wouldn't stop muttering away as she hastily set herself correct.

This annoyed Draco. It hadn't been a minute since she woke up and she was already fretting over that stupid Weasel and Boy-Who-Refused-To-Die. To stop her from blabbering about those worthless gits any longer, Draco yanked her towards him by her wrist, making her fall in his lap. He lowered his head to hers to kiss her when she pulled away,

"Oh no, not only I have morning breath, this cannot happen Draco. No, No."

He couldn't believe this girl was worried about morning breath. He was sure she tasted like strawberries. He felt Hermione scoff.

"I do not taste like strawberries." _Had he said that allowed? Sodding idiot, he was!_

"And I am not _worried_ about my morning breath as much as I am about yours. I am sure _you_ don't taste like strawberries." She chuckled and then abruptly said, "What is _that?"_ Draco pushed her off her lap realizing what she was referring to. But it was too late. Hermione had realized it was Draco's morning phenomenon and she burst into a fit of laughter.

"Oh, shut up." Draco grumbled taking his robes to hide his sham.

Hermione's laughter reduced to giggles and when finally they subsided she said, "I need to go. If I make it before anyone wakes up, there's a chance they'd think I had turned in late. Yeah, yeah, that's it." she clumsily helped herself up. "Don't act so distant, Draco. Don't act like I'm not there, from now on." She said. Draco got up and wrapped his arms around her from behind.

"I won't." He promised. And like all promises Draco Malfoy made, this one, he was sure to break too.

"Draco Malfoy and his uncanny ability to make false promises." Hermione chuckled a sad chuckle, before leaving Draco alone with his demons.

As Hermione entered The Great Hall, all the hustle and bustle stopped._They know_, was the only thought that came to her mind. Everybody had stopped whatever they were doing, even the teachers, to stare at her. _Dear Godric! They all must think I'm such a slag! Now I will never become the head girl, Harry and Ron will hate me, no guy will date me and Draco? What must Draco be going through?_ Hermione felt dizzy with all the worry. She took her place between Harry and Ginny who put a comforting arm around her.

"Why didn't you tell us?"

"Tell you what?"

"That Malfoy and you broke up." Harry said softly.

"Because you're muggle born!" Ron added angrily. "You couldn't trust your best friends with the fact that you're a muggle-born. Come on, Mione, I thought we were closer than that. I want to break that sodding ferret's face for breaking up with you for such a pathetic reason! But good riddance, it is!" Ron said, angrily.

"Malfoy didn't break up with _me! I _broke up with him! What are you on about me being a muggle born Ron?" Hermione asked confused.

"Oh Godric, _you yourself don't know?"_ Ginny said, looking horrified.

"Know what? Why is everybody acting like this? Will anybody tell me what the hell is happening here?"

"'Mione, it's in the papers. That you're a muggle-born. The Prophet did an exclusive on your life, actually on all The Golden Trio and they said that after thorough research they found that you're a muggle born..."

"Oh come on, Gin, The Prophet will publish anything to avoid talking about the Ministry being infiltrated." Harry interrupted looking impatient. "The Prophet is crap." He stated in a voice which declared finality.

"But Harry, surprisingly, even The Quibbler supports it!"

"They're Barmy! You _know_ the kind of crap Quibbler publishes!" he said in a low voice probably to ensure that Luna or anyone doesn't over hear him say that.

All the arguments weren't making sense to Hermione. She can't be a muggle born. That would mean that she wasn't her parent's child. Sure, she didn't specifically _look_ or inherit any traits of her parents but that happened...right? What the fuck was going on?

"And how do you explain the group of teachers headed by Dumbledore rushing here like this?" Ginny countered, for which, Harry had no answer for.

Hermione walked limply and in a state of shock, as she was escorted by a fretting Professor McGonagall to the headmaster's office. As she exited The Great Hall, her brown eyes were met with Grey orbs which screamed the same thing they had screamed whenever she blew them off to meet Ron and Harry-

_Betrayal._

_**A/N- Hope you liked it! I'm open to suggestions! Pretty Please READ AND REVIEW!** **And also, could anyone please fucking teach me how to fucking make line breaks. FFnet keeps deleting those lines!**_


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N- Please ignore the grammatical errors in the chapter for I am too effing lazy to correct them right now. Maybe later. Enjoy reading! And REVIEW! Your reviews make me want to update faster!**

Chapter-3

Petrified and slowly ebbing away mentally from the headmaster's office she was sitting in, with her parents flanked on either side of her, Hermione's mind kept replaying the story of her birth, like a broken record, her parents had just told her between sobs. Hermione's mother's name was Jean née Johnson. _My middle name!_ Hermione had thought to herself. She had been the daughter of Hermione's foster father's neighbour, the Johnsons.

She had married to a certain bloke called Peter Granger. Hermione's foster parents couldn't tell her much about him except that he seemed like a nice guy which pinched Hermione a little. She wanted to know a little more about her father than 'nice guy'. But she didn't say anything. She let her mother, her _foster_ mother, speak.

The newlyweds had been visiting the bride's maternal home when a tragic fire consumed the family whole, except for the pregnant daughter, jean, who had managed to drag herself outside to the porch where thankfully, help arrived and took her to the hospital.

The Lyras who were extremely close with the Johnsons had accompanied the young pregnant widow to the hospital where she gave birth to a premature baby girl. She had lived long enough to extract a promise from the Lyras whom she asked, no, _begged_ to take care of her baby girl lest she fall prey to her greedy relatives who would rob her daughter of her childhood, maybe even her life, for her inheritance or a foster home. Jean Granger soon succumbed to her injuries, but not before she was confident that the Lyras will take care of her baby girl.

"We had no child of our own, and we were more than ecstatic to take care of the beautiful baby girl who had filled the hollowed space in our lives and the silence in our house." Hermione's dad, said to her, ruffling her hair. "We were already living in Muggle London and we didn't mind raising a muggle daughter but fate had different plans. You were more special than we ever knew." Her dad said kissing her head. Hermione smiled a faint smile.

"I knew." Her mom interjected, squeezing Hermione's hand.

"Was my...uh...father a wizard?" Hermione asked. She had flinched at the use of the word father because she was scared of hurting her dad's feelings. Her dad had merely sighed and said,

"We thought so too but upon further enquiry we found that he was a muggle, with no trace of magic in his ancestry until you were born."

"She gave you your name, Hermione. It was one of her favourite ancient characters." Hermione's mother, said tearfully, clinging to Hermione. She seemed afraid that Hermione would disapparate away any instant. Hermione, who knew her mother's fears, knew she should calm them but somehow she wanted nothing more than to disapparate from there. If only she was of legal age, she would've. But then she was reminded, as she had read in _Hogwarts- A history_ that apparating in and out of the Castle was not possible.

"We wanted to tell you 'Mione. We wanted to tell you so many times but we were just so scared...of...of...losing you." Her mother burst into tears making Hermione's own eyes water.

"Mom, stop crying, I still love you and dad. You guys are my parents. I would never abandon you. Not after all that you've done for me without me asking for it." Hermione consoled her mother who sobbed into her shoulder.

"'Mione, would you like to visit your parents' grave?" Her father asked Hermione, making her heart swell with gladness that she had such kind people for parents.

"Yes, please, I would love that." She had said in a quiet voice. She hadn't missed the looks exchanged between the headmaster and Professor McGonagall at her father's suggestion.

"Do you think it's safe, Albus? For her to venture out?"

"I'm sorry for interrupting professor but why wouldn't it be safe for Hermione to go?" Her mother's worried voice had echoed her own thoughts.

"Well, the Dark Lord is rising to power and Hermione is, well," Professor McGonagall said casting fretful glances at Hermione, "A part of the Golden Trio and now her being a muggle born is not a secret. The Dark Lord is against muggle borns and Miss Lyra _is_ an attractive target considering that she is best friends with Harry Potter."

In that moment, Hermione realized, that all her fears about the war, about Voldemort weren't in her head anymore. They were materializing into solid reality. This thought made her shudder slightly.

"Minerva, I think it's perfectly find that Miss Lyra visit the graves of her late parents. It is only proper. Would you be kind enough to accompany her with her parents?" Professor Dumbledore said in a calm serene voice which calmed Hermione's fears for some time. Her silly self had forgotten that as long as Professor Dumbledore was there, no harm could befall any Hogwarts student or herself. Little did she know how wrong she was.

"Of course. We will all disapparate, seeing as it is the safest way to travel. Seeing as Miss Lyra is not of age, she can travel with one of us with Side-Along Apparation Mr. Lyra, lead the way." Professor McGonagall said. Hermione's father offered to apparate with Hermione.

They all apparated to Blue Lane Cemetery in London. The place was sprinkled with soft white snow. Hermione's parents led her down a stony path where four elaborately done tomb stones lay next to each other.

**Jean Sophia Johnson**

**5****th**** august 1952- 19****th**** September 1979**

_**If love could have saved you, you would have lived forever.**_

**Peter Brian Granger**

**25th November 1949- 19****th**** September 1979**

_**May you find comfort in the arms of an angel.**_

Hermione's frozen insides were slowly melting away to give way to a stabbing pain. She sat on the bed of snow in front of her parents' graves. Never having been given a chance to grieve her parents before, Hermione felt it only right to grieve properly for the loss of her parents and the grandparents she didn't know. Hot tears streamed down her face. She grieved for the parents she didn't get an opportunity to know, embrace, understand, fight with or make memories with.

Later that day, when they had returned to Hogwarts, Hermione's parents presented her with Hermione's late parents' wedding albums they had managed to acquire from their house in Bristol. Hermione had compressed a picture of her parents to a heart-shaped small picture, which fit perfectly in the heart shaped golden necklace her mother had given her on her last birthday.

The heart-shaped golden necklace reminded her of the golden snitch necklace Draco had given her a long time back. She had kept it at the bottom of her trunk, where it lay safe and away from prying eyes. She was also reminded of Draco's accusatory glare earlier that day when she had exited the Great Hall. She wondered what was going on his head. A part of Hermione wished she could visit him now to seek his comfort but a larger part shunned the thought away. Hermione cast all thoughts of Draco Malfoy aside because it opened up wounds Hermione had no strength to endure the pain of at the moment. At the moment, she believed, her heart should grieve only for her late family.

In her heart, Hermione felt it necessary to do what she was about to do as a way of keeping a part of her father with her, even though she fretted it would hurt her parents. And though she was right in her assumption, her parents who were reluctant and hurt initially eventually accepted her proposition and even graciously contacted the Ministry and the Headmaster of Hogwarts to make the necessary arrangements.

And hence, Hermione Jean Granger was born.

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The next morning, Hermione had woken up before anybody else had. She wanted to enjoy few moments of piece before she as bombarded with questions, accusations, whispers, accusatory glances, pity and the like. She washed and made her way silently to the Great Hall to grab some breakfast and leave before children started filing in. But on her way to the Great Hall her plans were thwarted when she felt herself being yanked by her wrist to a secluded corner. Her attacker let go of her wrist and disarmed her wand before she had a chance to get to it. She scolded herself for being so careless and forgetting what Professor McGonagall had warned her about yesterday. But luckily, or unluckily for Hermione, her attacker was Draco Malfoy.

"What the hell are you doing, Draco?" She demanded from him, rubbing her bruised wrist.

"Is the Prophet saying the truth about you?" He snarled. He towered her, glowering at her. "That you're a filthy mudblood?" He spat, making her flinch. _Filthy mudblood_, his voice echoed in Hermione's mind.

"If you mean I am a _muggle-_born then yes, I am a muggle born, Draco." She said daring him to contradict her. Her brown orbs bore into his grey ones.

"You _knew_, didn't you?" He accused her. "You knew you were a _mudblood_ and that's why you tried to convert me into some filth loving blood traitor like those filthy Weaselys! I should have known. I should have known! But you bit off more than you could chew, didn't you? " He adorned a crazed look in his eyes. Hermione stared at him dumbstruck. Had he really accused her of _lying _to him? She quickly grabbed her wand which lay a few feet away from her on the ground and shouted an Expelliarmus, throwing him violently against the wall.

"You are a sodding git, Draco! Among all the things you should ask me you ask me one of the most inane callous questions!"

Draco groaned from the impact of him being thrown against the wall. He caught a hold of his wand and aimed it at her, throwing an incarcerous but she deflected it with a quick _Protego. _

"And to answer your question-"she screamed angrily, between throwing hexes at him, which he deflected much to Hermione's disappointment, "No, I did not _know_." She sent another Bat-Bogey Hex which he nearly missed him. "I sure as hell did not plan an elaborate scheme to trap you! You flatter yourself too much!" She screamed as she threw a stunning spell at him, rendering him unconscious. She knelt beside his unconscious body, tears streaming down her face, and whispered,

"I thought you'd console me, try to cheer me up, tell me things are going to be okay...I thought you loved me."

She shook her head in dismay and anger.

"Among all the things I thought you would say to me, I didn't expect you accusing me of skulduggery" She said as Draco stirred a moment later, regaining consciousness.

"You're a mudblood now." His tone had a sense of finality in it. Like being a mudblood deprived you of any concern or worry on the part of Draco Malfoy.

"You must be _really_ happy to know I'm a _mudblood_, right? Finally, now, you've got a solid reason to hate me. Finally, you've got a good enough reason to torture me!" She said with a sneer before turning to leave to come to face-to-face with Blaise and Theo. She wondered how long they had been standing there, watching the whole spectacle unfold in front of them. She wondered if _they_ were going to abandon their mudblood of a friend too, now.

"Came to mock the mudblood, too?" Hermione said in a bitter voice.

"'Mione, we'd never do that." Theo said, slinging one of his arms on her shoulders like he always did. This made Hermione feel a little better. She saw Blaise send her a smile which she tentatively returned. She still had her back turned to Draco and she could feel the heavy air of awkwardness descending upon them.

"Well, I'm going to have some breakfast now. See you later, Blaise, Theo." She said with a cheery smile, defiantly ignoring Draco.

"Wait, I'll come too!" Theo said much to her surprise.

"So how are you?" He asked her when they were alone. She let out a big sigh. This was all she wanted Draco to ask her. But alas! That git had his head too high up his arse. She could feel the bubble of hate growing inside her for Draco. Soon it would burst engulfing all the love she harboured within her for him.

"I'll be okay." Hermione said with a sad smile. As they both entered the hall, everybody had already filed in. Hermione cursed Draco for not intercepting her _after_ she had grabbed her breakfast. Several pair of eyes trained on her and whispers began. She couldn't help let out a groan. Theo, however, seemed unaffected. He continued his conversation with her nonchalant about the attention being given to them. He was talking about the Potions essay which was due the day after.

"Can you help me with it? It's driving me barking mad. And Blaise and Draco are too busy in their awesomeness to help out a friend." Theo was making his puppy-dog eyes which made Hermione laugh.

"Yeah, okay. See you today at eight in the library, then?" She said to which Theo gave an 'Okay' and walked away to his own House table. That was when she realized that without asking and without making her realize it, Theo had walked her to her table where her friends, Ron and Harry sat with a space between them empty for to fill. A pang of affection swelled in her heart for Theo and his kindness. Although ron and harry didn't like Hermione's friendship with the Slytherin(s), they eventually got used to it and didn't pronounce their hatred every time.

"Everything okay, Mione?"

"Yeah, everything is okay." Hermione said swinging her arms around the shoulders of her friends glad that she had them with her.

"Look at the disgusting mudblood giggling away with no care in the world!" Pansy's voice broke Hermione's happy bubble. "I always knew you were filth. Poor, innocent Draco, didn't even know he was being used by a mudblood!"

Before Hermione could say anything, Ginny who had been sitting across her, screamed, "Shut up Parkinson! Things like talking and thinking do not suit you! Go do what's your best at-shagging anything with a dick!"

A roar of laughter emerged from everybody present in the vicinity. Pansy's face grew scarlet with anger and humiliation but she dared not say another word. Hermione sent Ginny a grateful smile who winked in response.

The rest of the day was spent battling off people who didn't agree with Hermione's blood status. Neville came in to save her several times, to her astonishment screaming, "10 points each for making derogatory remarks at a prefect!"

Hermione's mood which had been down in the gutter was slowly elevating because of the efforts made by her friends. She was _not_ filth. She was _not_ a mudblood. She, Ron and Harry were now stretched out on the grass, near the lake.

"Oh look at her walking about like she owns the world, that pathetic Know-it-all Mudblood Hermione Lyra! _And _she's a Gryffindor. How worse can it get?" The annoying high pitched voice broke through Hermione's mental pep talk. She saw pug-faced Pansy saying that to Astoria who had pursed her lips and defiantly looked anywhere but at Hermione. A hand was snaked around Astoria's slender waist that hand belonged to Draco Malfoy. A deep gash cut through Hermione's heart. Draco looked like a statuette and like Astoria, refused to make any comment or glance her way.

"Don't." Said Hermione to Harry and Ron who were ready to come to her defence. She walked up to the three who were sitting on the grass.

"Hello Pansy, Astoria...Draco." She said in a cheery voice. "I am a Know-it-all Mudblood Gryffindor, you got all that right but just got future reference, make sure you get my name right, it's Hermione Granger. Isn't it pretty? It's my _muggle_ father's name!" Hermione said in her sweetest voice, her voice emanating pride and arrogance, all the while her insides were on fire. "Oh, and also, don't forget _this_ Know-it-all Mudblood Gryffindor kicks your ass in every subject, well, except at being a slag" Hermione made a pout. "_You're _the winner there!" She said with an evil smile.

"Oh, really? We all know how you trapped poor Draco with your lies!" Not _that_ again, Hermione thought with a groan. She took a deep breath and gave Draco a hard glance, who still had a hand around Astoria's waist but she could see the slight tension in his body he was trying to hide at Pansy's comment.

"Well, I can't really refute that, now can I?" She was asking Draco now. "I _did _trap him with my special muggle voodoo and treated him like my very own sex slave. Oh the fun, I had!" Hermione said with a fake bright smile, even though her insides her hurting at her lie. She wanted Draco to say something. Do something. Fuck, at least _look_ at her. At her comment, Astoria had removed Draco's hand from around her waist. She sat with a frown on her face. "Didn't I, Draco?" she addressed him directly.

"And I'm going to perform muggle voodoo on Ronald here next!" She said, giggling in a carefree manner, trying to cover the hurt she felt at Draco's blatant act of ignoring her existence.

"So _that's _what you were doing yesterday with those haystack dolls!?" Ron said, playing at the game. Hermione giggled and Ron scooped her up in his arms and swung her around. Hermione squealed in delight.

"You're amazing, Mione!" He said. She could feel him grin. He put her down and they walked away from the lake towards the school.

Harry patted Hermione on the back and said, "Effing Parkinson is still dumb-struck."

"I LOVE YOU RON! I LOVE YOU HARRY!" She shouted loudly even though they were a mere inches away. She hoped Draco had heard her say that. She knew how much he hated it when she said she loved Harry and Ron.

"We love you too, Mione," Harry said wincing at her loud confession.

"Just not at that decibel." Ron said clearing his ear with his index finger.

"Theodore Nott, is this some sly effort made by you to make me do your homework? Because if that is so , then this is the last time that I am ever helping you with your homework!" Hermione said in a mock-angry tone.

"Well, there was an ulterior motive for me to call you here, apart from homework." Theo said in a slightly abashed voice. Hermione's eyes widened, and with an eyebrow raised, she poked him with her quill.

"What is it?" She asked in a soft tone. She wondered if he wanted to tell her something about Draco, perhaps. Maybe Draco had sent an apology, a message through Draco.

"Well, actually," He cleared his throat. He seemed nervous. "I kind of like this girl."

"Oooooooooh!" Hermione exclaimed, surprised. This was the first time _Theo_ had asked her any help where it concerned girls. Hermione didn't know why he was asking for her help anyway. It's not like he needed it or anything. "Sshh!" He shushed her, looking annoyed.

"Who is it? Who is it?"She prodded him with her quill repeatedly and stopped only when he gave her a death glare.

"Well, its..." he cleared his throat again. Hermione noticed, for the first time, the sheen of sweat on his forehead. Her curiosity knew no bounds as she waited impatiently for Theo to say the name.

"It's Ginny Weasely."

"WHAT?" Hermione let out a shriek earning a sharp warning from Madam Pince who gave the Golden Girl a reproachful look. Theo liked Ginny? That was impossible!

"You like Ginny Weasely?" She whispered.

She saw his scarlet face nod fervently. That's why Theo needed Hermione. What did he expect her to do? Butter his way into Ginny's heart? But that seemed so impossible. She didn't want to say that to the boy sitting next to her.

"When did this happen? _How _did this happen?"

"Well, I always thought she was a feisty little-" A sharp glance from Hermione stopped Theo from completing his sentence. "What I mean is, I always found her to be really cool from what I know about her from you, and with her being such an amazing seeker got to me too. And I love a woman sassy. I heard what she said to Pansy today morning." He said with a dreamy look on his face. "I'm sorry I didn't do anything. I was sitting too far away to hear what Pansy had said. I would've said something." He promised.

"I know." She said with a smile as she nibbled on her lower lip wondering how to get Ginny to like Theo or even _consider_ the thought.

"What do you require me to do?" She finally asked with a sigh.

"Well, see, that's the thing. I don't know. I would proceed to ask her to the next Hogsmeade trip like I do with any girl but with the whole Slytherin and Gryffindor rivalry and well, er, her being _her_ and me being _me_, a son of a _death eater_" he said bitterly, "I have no idea how to proceed."

Hermione really felt bad for Theo. We really cannot choose the places we came from. The families we belong to. And even though Theo did not agree with anything what the Dark Lord propagated, he was considered a death eater too because his father was one.

"Well, give me some time Theo. I'll think of something and, erm, get back to you." Hermione nervously added. She had never participated in 'matchmaking' or things like these ever before. Theo gave her a stiff nod and they proceeded with their homework.

"Oh, and Hermione?" Theo suddenly said, looking up from his homework. "Draco doesn't hate you. No matter what he says. It's just that Hell hath no fury like Draco scorned. But he did let you hurt him this morning...so I guess he was trying to even the score of how many times he's hurt you and is hurting you."

"Excuse me; he didn't _let _me hurt him. I defeated his sorry arse in our duel."

Later that night, In the Gryffindor common room Hermione's frustration knew no bound. How the hell was she going to convince Ginny to give Theo a chance? She still suspected Ginny of harbouring a crush towards Harry. Hermione was sitting on one of the couches, knitting the hats for the Elves furiously, while she concocted miserable plans. She thought of giving up and telling Theo to move on, but then she didn't want to give up until and unless she had exhausted all options. Theo had not given up on being Hermione's friend after her heritage was revealed. He had proven his friendship to her. And it was time for her to do the same. She loved Theo and she wouldn't give up easily.

"Hey, Hermione." Someone's voice interrupted her deep concentration. She looked up to see Ron shoot her a smile before settling beside her.

"Knitting for the elves again?"

"Yeah, they seem to be getting cleverer, Ron! Maybe I should add disillusionment charms on these caps to trick them into picking them up. What do you think?" She asked Ron, who, now that she looked at him, looked a bit red in the face.

"Eh, yeah, that...um...that sounds okay." He said, his voice cracking a bit like Theo's had done earlier tonight.

"Ron, are you okay? You are kind of red in the face..." Hermione said, putting her half-knit hat down on her lap to look at Ron properly. What if he had something more serious than the common cold?

"Yeah, yeah, Mione, I'm fine." He added hastily scooting closer to her. He looked rather worked up about something, Hermione noted. " I wanted to ask you something."He finally said, letting out a big sigh. His colour returned to normal and Hermione resumed her knitting.

"Okay, ask away." She said.

"Well, I was wondering if you...if you wanted to go tohogsmeadwimme?"Ron spluttered nervously.

"What? Go where?" Hermione asked, her eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

"To Hogsmeade. Do you want to go? With me?" He said it slowly, this time.

"Yeah, sure." Hermione said knitting. "Wait. With you? Only you? Why? Aren't harry and Ginny coming? Is Harry going alone? With a _date? _ Is _Ginny_ going on a date with someone?" Hermione asked, horrified. "Are they both dating each other?" Hermione almost shrieked with horror.

"For Merlin's sake, stop shouting, woman! No, nobody's dating nobody." Ron explained, looking exasperated. Hermione's features relaxed. "I was just wondering if you wanted to go alone, with me..." The red colour staining his cheeks.

"Like a date?" Hermione asked softly. Surprised at Ron's suggestion. He nodded, his ears turned completely scarlet. Hermione pondered on this for a while and then her eyes shined with an idea.

"Deal! _Only _if it can be a double date!" she said to which Ron looked like he was going to object, but merely nodded.

"Well, see you Sunday." He said in a small voice and got up to go to his room but not before bending down and pecking her cheek. This made Hermione blush profusely. She didn't know if she liked Ron in _that_ way but she only thought it fair to give him a chance. Even though she knew she was doing wrong, she really wanted to give Theo and Ginny a chance. Hermione shot from her seat, way too excited about the news! She knew she could emotionally manipulate Ginny into coming with her. By Godric, she was becoming so Slytherin! She _had_ to share her excitement with Theo and she knew it was after curfew but she couldn't help sneaking off towards the dungeons where the slytherins lay.

Standing outside the Slytherin common room, she caught one of the Slytherin prefects going inside to call Theodore Nott. She told them he had bunked his detention with Mr. Filch. Theo appeared in no time staggering outside, his hair sleep ruffled wearing his Slytherin robes shabbily.

"Theo! Wake up!"

"Wha-wha, Hermione?"

"Yeah, meet me at Zonko's Joke Shop in Hogsmeade. You, well, technically, _we_ have a date this Sunday!" Hermione squealed with delight.

"Wait, you mean?"

"Yeah! We'll talk more later. I just really wanted to tell you this." She said reaching up to ruffle his sleep ruffled hair.

"Thanks, Mione. You're the best." He said and pulled her into a hug.

"Yeah, yeah, okay, Theo. Now go sleep." Said an embarrassed Hermione. "By the way, I told your House mates you had detention with Argus Filch which you missed, to explain me calling you out at this hour."

"Yeah, okay." Theo replied, waving her off with her hand, probably too tired to talk anymore. When Theo exited into the common room, Hermione felt something- someone behind her. She jumped to find Draco.

"So, you're going on a date with Theo?" he asked her, his voice nonchalant, his grey orbs revealing nothing. But she saw his hand balled up into a fist. He noticed her line of view and hid his hand in the pocket of his robes.

"What's it to you?"

"Answer me."

"Fuck off, Draco. Of all the times to talk to me, you choose this dark dungeon where nobody can see or hear us. Mighty nice places you've recently chosen to speak to the mudblood. Don't want nobody to know, right?" She spat, bitterly and walked past him to get to her common room when a hand snaked around her waist and pulled her back.

"You haven't answered me." His grey orbs penetrated into her small brown ones.

"And I don't intend to." She was standing too close to him for her liking. She tried moving away to put some distance between them but he pulled her against him again.

"Tell me, Hermione, are you, no, _have_ you been fucking my best mate behind my back? Is _that_ why you broke up with me?" His voice was harsh and so was his hold on her waist. She reached out into the pocket of her robes to retrieve her wand when-

"Looking for this?" Draco said, twirling her wand in his other hand.

"Give me my wand, Draco." She said through gritted teeth.

"Answer my question and I will."

"You just cannot take rejection can you? You are pathetic, Draco Malfoy." She said and soon she found his grip on her waist tighten. He was hurting her.

"That still doesn't answer my question. It only infuriates me further which makes me want to break things. Like your wand, perhaps." He said coldly. That was a direct threat. Refusing to take the chance of provoking his wrath she said,

"Fine, I'll tell you. Even though it is none of your business and your current actions completely contradict your actions earlier today where you not only accused me of turning you into a blood traitor, but you also didn't do drat when your pathetic friends were insulting me _and_ you also have a girlfriend who would love to know, as much as I would, as to why the great Draco Malfoy give two shits about what the filthy mudblood is doing in her love life." She breathed heavily. When his nonchalant expression did not change, she took it her cue to tell him what he had asked for before he snapped her wand in a moment of impulse.

"No. I have not been fucking Theo behind your back." She said bitterly.

"And..?"

"I am not going on a date with him on Sunday. I'm setting him up with someone else. I can't tell you who, if Theo hasn't told you."

"That seems satisfactory." He said, giving her wand back to her. She removed herself from his grip and slapped him really hard.

"Why are you asking me all these questions? This is _none of your business!" _She growled aiming her wand at him. He cursed under his breath while he rubbed the reddened cheek.

"Because you're mine." He said simply and headed towards Slytherin portrait hole.

And just before the portrait closed behind him she said, "Then I guess you'll be glad to know that it is not Theo I am going on a date with this Sunday. It's my Ronny, who I love, love, and love so much!" Draco turned too late to come out as the portrait had just closed. But Hermione had seen the anger burning in his grey eyes. She had seen the grey storm brewing. She scurried back to her common room, running, fearing Draco would come back.

And only when she tucked herself into bed she allow to feel herself what she hadn't felt when he was there-

_Safe_.

**A/N- Okay, so I wrote about Theo telling Hermione that Draco had **_**let**_** Hermione win because I thought it would contradict my earlier statement which showed that Draco was training with Bellatrix Lestrange. So he was much more practiced in the arts of duelling than Hermione was. But this doesn't mean that Hermione cannot kick ass because she so can! I am all for feminism! Lol. I will add scenes which show Hermione preparing herself for the oncoming war too!**

**Read and review, my lovelies! XD**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Hey, 'Mione, what are you reading?" Theo's voice made Hermione jumped. She grew red. She was sitting on a secluded expanse of grass near the lake, reading. It was a lazy Saturday morning and Ron, Harry and Ginny were practicing for the upcoming Quidditch game with Ravenclaw. She looked up to find Theo and Blaise grinning at her with knowing-smiles.

"I know _that_ look." Blaise said, making Hermione grow even more scarlet.

"Psh, What are you guys on about?" Hermione tried to act cool and covered her novel with her Herbology and Potions books. An action which wasn't missed by the two blokes who approached her like a predator would approach its prey.

"Oh, my, Blaise, I think you might be just right." Theo said, chuckling and advancing towards Hermione.

"Stop now Theodore Nott before I hex you into oblivion." She spluttered. Theo of course, looked unperturbed. "I will ask Ginny to back out on the double date on Sunday~!" She threatened which finally seemed to have caught him. He scowled.

"Aw, damn!" He groaned and took his seat next to her. Hermione let out a sigh of relief which was short lived because Blaise had slyly snatched away the novel Hermione had tried to hide with her subject books.

"Oh my, what a smutty novel we have here! And oh my, this scene right here, is so...yum, yum, yum" Blaise said smacking his lips and laughing. Hermione narrowed her eyes, angry and embarrassed at being caught reading a 'mature novel', like she called it. _**Again**__._

"Really? Read it out!" Theo demanded much to Hermione's embarrassment who tried to get the book back.

"Mina was backed into a corner by Garius who adorned a lust-filled look in his eyes. His eyes roved over her body hungrily...His sweaty, muscular body was a sight to behold. She could see him harden."

"Oh yeah!" Theo cheered encouragingly, while Hermione buried her face in her hands.

"You guys are arses! I hope you know that!" Hermione shouted in vain because that only encouraged the boys to their bidding.

"...And suddenly his hands were all over Mina. Mina's body arched back in ecstasy..." Blaise couldn't complete as she _accio_'d her book using the Summoning Charm.

"Enough." She growled, pink tinting her cheeks, her eyes refusing to meet theirs.

"Aw, 'Mione come on, stop being such a pu-"Her death glare prevented him from completing his sentence. "Sensitive. I mean, sensitive." He quickly added.

"Yeah, Hermione, relax. We're your friends anyway. I don't see why you're so embarrassed about such things in front of us. It's not like it's the _first time _we've caught you reading smutty novels." Blaise said as he lay across on the grass, his head propped up on his hand. "Andthe narration is loads better in this one."

"Yeah, the other one was such a mess." Theo added and picked up the smut novel and started reading it with more concentration and fervour than he had ever invested in any of the subject books. Hermione sighed.

"Thank you so much for those kind words of yours." Hermione said which made the boys laugh. She huffed angrily and took out her quill to complete her Herbology essay while her thoughts strayed to the events of an unfortunate evening many moons ago when Hermione was caught red-handed by her friends and _then boyfriend_.

_It was late in the evening and her parents were out. Hermione sat curled up on the big comfy chair next to the fireplace reading the novel Ginny had given to her on her recent visit to the Burrow. She remembered after a hard day's work of de-gnoming the Weasely's garden, Ginny had presented a confused Hermione with the book. 'For frustrated virgins like us' Ginny had said before bursting into giggles. Hermione had profusely blushed but taken the book. _

_The fireplace had roared ceremoniously, making Hermione jump a bit, and hold behold, there stood Draco Malfoy, smartly dressed in black robes, looking handsomely regal. Hermione had jumped at being caught at an unexpected time (she _**had **_been reading the smuttiest part) and stuffed the book behind her back._

"_Draco," She said, clearing her throat._

"_Hey." He said and kissed her cheek. "What was that you hid behind your back?" His grey eyes missed nothing. Hermione grew scarlet._

"_Nothing. Nothing at all."_

_The fireplace roared to life again and there stood Theo and Blaise. "Oh, I invited Theo and Blaise here too." Draco said hanging his robes on the stand beside the fireplace._

"_Hey, Mione." Theo said. Blaise nodded at her. She smiled and said a 'hey' to both of them._

"_Is there anything here to eat? I'm hungry." Theo asked. _

"_Yeah, me too." Blaise said._

"_um, there must be some cake in the kitchen. I'll go-" She was about to offer to get it for them when Blaise and Theo shot off towards the kitchen trying to outrun each other._

"_What's the matter, Draco?" She mentally scolded herself for forgetting her wand in her room. She knew Draco still hadn't forgotten about it because he was walking straight to where she sat._

"_What are you sitting on Hermione?" He asked his grey eyes scanning her._

"_Nothing." She said. She felt self-conscious. She should've dressed up. She felt so underdressed in her muggle sweatshirt and blue jeans. Hermione's self-consciousness skyrocketed when a very strong Draco Malfoy hauled her up by her shoulders and scooped her up in his arms._

"_I don't like liars." He said. Hermione couldn't stop squealing and shouting at him to put her down. The close proximity of his body made her feel very uncomfortable. _'Not when I'm so fucking randy!'_ She thought extremely embarrassed. She kept slapping his chest, and pushing against his face preventing him from walking back to the chair to pull out the book from beneath the cushion._

"_What is it that you're hiding? That you don't want your own _**boyfriend **_to see!" Draco had growled at her. _

"_It's... It's nothing!" Hermione had spluttered nervously._

"_Not some letter from a secret lover you're hiding?"Hermione rolled her eyes at his accusation._

"_Mate, what the fuck are you doing?" Theo's concerned and a little angry voice made them stop their bickering Blaise was apparently still in the kitchen looking for more things to eat._

"_Oh, Theo, thank god you're here." Was what _**Hermione**_ should've said, Hermione noted bitterly at what Draco had just said. "Can you reach out beneath that cushion and give me what you find?"_

_Hermione stopped her struggles and buried her head in Draco's chest who finally decided to put her back on her feet. He had his arms wrapped around her torso, holding her in place, lest the little minx planned to runaway._

"_It's a book, mate." Theo said. _

"_What kind of a book?"_

_Hermione groaned. "Its- its" Theo burst out into laughter before he could complete the sentence. Hermione huffed. What was so funny? Ugh, she wanted to hit Theo and Draco. And kill herself. She wished the earth would open up and swallow her whole to save her from the embarrassment and humiliation that was going to befall her any moment now._

"_What kind of book is it?" Draco asked again. But Theo couldn't stop laughing. That asshole. Draco let go of Hermione and snatched the book from Theo. As the words and realization seeped in, Draco's scowl turned into a mischievous smile. Hermione groaned but that only encouraged Draco. Blaise entered soon making the scene worse._

"_What's going on?" He asked looking at the scene of Draco adorning an evil smirk, Hermione looking pissed and embarrassed and Theo laughing like an oaf on the floor._

"_Well, well, well, it seems our innocent Gryffindor princess isn't so virginal after all!" Draco mocked, turning his mock-accusing eyes towards her brown ones. She huffed, crossing her arms across her chest and looked away._

"_What are we looking at?" Blaise asked, walking towards Draco and Hermione. Theo had stopped laughing, but he still lay on the floor, basking in the afterglow of the findings of Hermione Lyra's secret smut book. Draco threw the book towards Blaise, Hermione tried catching it, but the taller boy was stronger and faster._

"_For Salazar's sake. A little girl like you shouldn't be reading such graphic stuff, Hermione." Blaise chided her, with a mischievous gleam in his eyes. Before Hermione could respond Blaise cried, _

"_ooh! A steamy scene! Shall I read it out, Draco?"_

"_Go ahead, Blaise." Draco said, earning a punch in the gut from Hermione. He crouched, groaning from the pain. The little minx wasn't as delicate as she looked. Blaise continued unhinged, with Hermione chasing behind him,_

"_Rebekah knew it was wrong. She knew Fakreed didn't love her. But she couldn't stop his hands from roaming all over his body. Oh Dear Lord, they were grabbing her breasts now!"_

_Theo whistled making Hermione blush. She hated them. She hated them all! She hated Draco most of all . Draco had straightened up shortly after her attack on him and said, "Dear Lord? It's a muggle book?" his voice couldn't hide the disgust he felt._

_Hermione stuck her tongue at him and tried tackling Blaise who threw the book towards Theo who had caught the book and sat upright and read, "Oh how his wonderful big manly hands fondled her breasts!" Draco sniggered and Blaise let out a 'Oh yeah.' _

_Seeing no way out of the predicament, Hermione thought it best to stop running after the mongrels because it only excited them and encouraged them to tease her more. Boys were such assholes at times! Hermione sat down on the couch, with a huff, arms crossed across her chest, while the three boys took turns reading the smutty scene._

"_And then finally, they lay next to each other basking in the afterglow of their sexual encounter." Draco finished. Theo did a motion of wiping tears from his eyes. _

"_That was beautiful." He said. Hermione was determinedly staring into the fire wishing they all would turn to soot._

"_Well said, brother." Blaise said. "Well, Hermione, this has been thoroughly entertaining but I'm afraid I have to leave now." Hermione ignored him. She wanted to pummel him. And Draco and Theo. _

"_Why?" Theo groaned._

"_Erm...Mum's getting married again. Have to meet the new 'fiancé' for dinner." Blaise said bitterly. Hermione noticed the uncomfortable silence that had descended._

"_Well, I hope you have as much as fun as I did with you assholes!" Hermione said which earned her a peck from a grinning Blaise and which made Draco growl in disapproval. Blaise merely winked at Draco as he got engulfed by the flames as he shouted, 'Zabini Manor' using the floo powder. _

_She had taken up to ignoring Draco and Theo for the remainder of their stay at her home. She had even refused to let Draco peck her cheek when they were leaving, which miffed him off immensely. Well, he had made his bed and so he would have to lie in it. _

Between reminiscing and doing her Herbology and Potions homework, Hermione had fallen asleep on the grass beside Blaise and Theo. They both were sitting cross legged to her right, talking in low whispers, but they stopped when they saw Hermione stir.

"Good afternoon, sleepy head." Blaise's voice seeped into her consciousness, pulling her to the surface.

"AFTERNOON?" Hermione almost shrieked and sat upright.

"Yeah, don't worry, Theo here fetched you and me some food from the elves from the Kitchen."

Theo handed her a platter filled with sandwiches. Hermione took one, rubbing her eyes with the back of her other hand. "What time is it?" She asked. "Just after two." Blaise said.

"So...what were you guys talking about before I woke up?" Hermione asked carefully scrutinizing their faces.

"...You...and"Theo added tentatively.

"Draco." Blaise completed without hesitation. His brown eyes shined with honesty.

"What about Draco?" A voice asked making Hermione's insides turn to ice. Her heart skipped a beat. Her eyes grew wide with shock. She could feel Draco standing behind her. How long had he been there?

"What else? The melodrama surrounding you guys." Blaise said shooting a grin to Draco while Theo, who saw Hermione's tensed shoulders and expression, took her hand in his to comfort her. An action which wasn't missed by Draco, who bit back a growl but he couldn't help himself saying,

"So, Blaise, did you know our dear Theo is going on a date this Sunday? A _double date _with some mystery girl while our princess Hermione here, is going with the weasel. Isn't that just sweet?" His voice was cold and harsh. He settled himself next to Hermione. She refused to spare him a glance.

Hermione hung her head in shame. She wondered what Theo must think of her now. He had trusted her with his secret and Hermione had bargained it off in exchange for her wand. She didn't have a choice, she knew, but she still couldn't help the shame that seeped in. Theo squeezed her hand; she looked up to meet his consoling smile. Of course, Theo knew what a manipulating bastard Draco could be. He didn't blame Hermione. He didn't like It one bit that Draco knew that he was going on a date with certain someone but he didn't blame Hermione.

"That _does_ sound sweet!" Blaise said in a cheerful voice throwing Draco off. Hermione grinned at Blaise who grinned back. "I'm glad for your Hermione. Draco, you're with Astoria, Hermione is with the Weasel, Theo is getting with along with some mystery girl, and me? Oh man, I feel alone!" Blaise groaned. Not only had he diffused the tension in the air he had also pronounced clearly what Draco was ignoring- He was with Astoria. He had no fucking business prying in Hermione's love life. Draco, who seemed to have caught on what his friend was doing, scowled hard.

"Yeah, mighty sweet, Hermione going on a date with her Ronny she loves, loves so much." Draco muttered furiously. Hermione's heart plummeted into her stomach but she steeled herself not to show how uncomfortable she was. She forced herself to relax her posture. Although very difficult, she did it.

"Draco, don't forget you have a girlfriend. Her name is Astoria Greengrass. Why don't you go worry about who _she_ loves?" Hermione said coldly, her eyes fixed on the lake.

"And you don't forget that you're _mine_." He growled pissing Hermione off. She came up to her knees gathering her things furiously, as she said,

"For Godric's sake, I am _**not**_** your**_** possession,**_ Draco Malfoy. You think you can treat me like shit in front of everybody and I'll still run to you like your pathetic girlfriend? I have something called Self-respect, a notion I am sure is not so common among your _pureblooded_ woman." She stood up, her bushy hair circling her face like a halo, while she dusted her skirt. Her cheeks were tinted with pink spots. She seemed really angry. And she looked really pretty, Draco thought.

"You sound jealous." Draco said cheerfully, lying on his back, his palms tucked behind his head.

"You sound delusional." She said coldly.

"Goodbye, Draco" She said looking at him straight in the eye with a stubborn look. She nearly gasped at the look he adorned. She could see the angry storm brewing in his grey eyes. Her heart beat in trepidation. There were dark circles under his eyes. His silverish blond hair unruly and tousled. He seemed to have aged overnight. Draco's heart clenched at the way Hermione's expression softened when she bid goodbye to Theo and Blaise. His insides were burning with anger and frustration. Why couldn't he see that he had picked up Astoria just to spite her? And it _**was **_working wasn't it?

"Where are you going?" Draco asked angrily.

"I have a date tomorrow, Draco. I need to decide what I have to wear. But before that, I need to meet my Ronny who must be returning from his Quidditch practice." She said in a fake cheerful voice. "Oh, His sweaty, muscular body would be a sight to behold!" She squealed with delight winking at Blaise and Theo who passed her knowing-sly grins which irked Draco to no extent. He was getting up to follow her and knock some sense into that bushy head of hers when he was stopped by a hand- Blaise's. "Leave it, mate."

Draco was about to protest when Blaise added, "For now, leave it."

Draco saw her petite form traipse her way to the castle. _Later_, he thought to himself.

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"WHAT?" Ginny's shriek startled Hermione and earned them curious and reproachful glances from other Gryffindors present in the common room. "Shhhh!" Hermione shushed her.

"Hermione Jean Granger, let me get this right, you want me to go on a date with Theodore Nott from the Slytherin house, best friend of Draco Malfoy and son of a death eater?"

Hermione hated it when Ginny put it that way. It sounded all wrong. It didn't sound like Theo at all!

"Come on Gin, you're being so unfair. You say you hate those pureblooded wizards and witches who think they're better than anybody else because of their blood status but what about you? Aren't you behaving like you're better than Theo for things he has no control over? Theo is one of the nicest guys I know and he's kind of taken with you...Why can't you give him just one chance? One date?"

Ginny pondered on Hermione's words, her eyebrows knit together in confusion and conflict and her lips being battered by her teeth. Hermione waited for her friend to give her decision. She had almost got up to go tell Theo whom she had asked her to meet at 10 near the Gryffindor common room that tomorrow's plans have been cancelled when Ginny have a tentative 'Okay' making Hermione squeal and jump with delight.

"Just this once. And don't make me regret this! I am not doing this because I like him. I am doing this because of you and because of my brother who has been waiting forever for this date with you." Hermione didn't miss the sharpness to her comment. She immediately felt guilty for agreeing to go on a date with Ron. But she really did want to see how it would go.

"Gin, I don't want to hurt Ron and if Ron is the one for me, I'd be more delighted than anyone! I really want to forget that git, Draco!" Hermione said bitterly.

"But in your quest to get over Malfoy, I don't want you to hurt my brother, Hermione. He really likes you."

"I understand. Lets pray tomorrow is good to both of us." Hermione said with a warm smile. "Well, It's 9:58P.M. I'm sure Romeo is waiting outside to find out what his Juliet had decided upon!" Hermione said getting up and heading outside when Ginny said, "Romeo? Juliet? Who the hell are they?"

Hermione sighed and said, "Muggle characters, Gin. They're pretty famous. Anyway, be right back."

Stepping outside of the common room door she was greeted by a sullen looking Draco Malfoy.

"What are _you_ doing here?" She asked, annoyed.

"Theo sent me here. He has detention so he asked me to come to you and ask you what his lady love decided on." Draco said sourly. Damn, Theo!

"So you know who she is?"

"Yep. He told us soon after you left." Draco said, his eyes roving over her body, making her feel self-conscious in her muggle sweatshirt and jeans.

"He couldn't send Blaise?"

"Why? Want to date him too, now?" Draco asked bitterly.

"You know what, I actually would but I'm afraid I'm occupied at the moment." She said huffing angrily wondering why she was even here talking to the arrogant git. And then she remembered the reason and she said, "Well, anyway, tell Theo his _lady love_ agreed to come tomorrow."

"I am going to break up with Astoria."

"And why would you do that exactly?"

"Because you were right."

"About?"

"The thing you said when you 'broke up' with me!" He seemed annoyed. Hermione knew what he was referring to but she wanted him to say it. Out loud.

"Which was what exactly?" she prodded. He growled, angry.

"That I...That I-" Frustrated, he ran a hand through his tousle blond hair. Hermione let out a sad chuckle.

"You can even say it out loud, Draco" She said smiling sadly and walking back to the portrait when Draco's arms snaked around her waist pulling her against him.

"Draco. Let me go."

"Why? So that you can run off to that filthy Weasel?"

"Why shouldn't I? You were the one who treated me like filth yesterday when my past blew up in my face. You were the one who called me a _mudblood_ yesterday and didn't stop anyone else from saying so. YOU were the one who cut me up and left me to bleed. Ron was there. Harry was there. Ginny, Neville, Blaise, Theo, everybody was there for me Draco. Except you. And I will never forgive you for abandoning me like that!" She stomped on his foot angrily making him flinch. _Only flinch? For Godric's sake, I hit him harder than that! _Hermione thought angrily.

"But- but why won't you understand, Hermione? I thought you knew! I thought you-"

"You didn't trust me. You don't trust anybody, do you? Why do you look so dead nowadays, Draco? What's with the dark circles? What's with that squeamish look and that scowl you adorn every day? Are you planning on taking the dark mark? Are you?"

When he didn't answer her, she said, "YOU don't trust anyone. So it was YOUR entire problem, YOUR fault. Don't you dare put it on me! Anyway, Draco, I'm really tired and I have to go sleep." She turned again to be stopped by him saying-

"But can't you see it, Hermione? I can never let you go. And I am not going let anyone else have you."

"That's one of the most selfish things I've ever heard you say."

"And the most honest and the only promise I will never break. It's already done. There's no point in fighting it." He vowed pecking Hermione lightly on the lips and vanishing away into the dark of the corridor leaving a dazed Hermione standing there trying to figure out what he meant by that.

"Oh Hermione, did you wait long? I am so sorry, stupid Draco stunned me and ran away. Are you okay? 'Mione? 'Mione?" Theo shook a dazed Hermione who focused her attention on Theo.

"That asshole lied. He said you asked him to fill in your for you because you had detention or something." Hermione said bitterly.

"What? He's gone barmy, I tell you." Theo looked concerned. "What did he say, Mione?"

Hermione told him what had transpired a few moments ago. Theo listened with rapt attention.

"What does that mean? 'It's already done'?" Hermione asked, annoyed that even though she was supposed to be the brightest witch of her age, her brain couldn't come up with a sensible answer. Theo looked more disturbed than her.

"I don't know, Mione...I think you should steer clear of him from now on..." He shifted his weight from one foot to another the way he did when he was nervous.

"Are you not telling me something, Theo?" Hermione asked to which Theo merely shrugged.

"Anyway, forget it. What did Ginny say?" Theo asked, his eyes shining with hope. Hermione couldn't help smile at his expression.

"Well, count your blessings, Romeo. She agreed to giving you a chance." Hermione said. Theo scooped her up, excitedly and whirled her around.

"Whoa, whoa, Theo, calm down."

"I don't know who the hell Romeo is, but I love him and you anyway, Hermione."

Hermione couldn't help but blush profusely at his blatant confession. "I love you too, Theo" she sai d shyly. "Well, I have to go now. I am tired and I need some beauty sleep for _my_ date tomorrow."

Theo laughed. "Okay. Wait, are you serious about that wea-Ronald Weasely, I mean?"

"I don't know. Ask me after tomorrow's date?"

"You got it." He said, kissing her on her head before heading away to his dorm, whistling away happily.

Even after Hermione had tucked herself in her bed and was pulled into sleep's sweet embrace, she couldn't help but hear Draco's voice saying, '_It's done already. You're mine'_.

What did he mean by that?

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**A/N- Thank you for your comments! And new followers thank you for following Something Otherworldly. Anyway, I hope you love me more for updating so fast! XD READ AND REVIEW, LOVELIES! **

**Thank you dutch potterfan, sujey, lucy, ****DancinglikeaLOVEGOOD25****,****TraubeTrauby and my lovely pandaface/perpetual poker face for the sweet reviews! :D you guys make me want to update faster!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N- Too lazy to correct grammatical errors right now. Please be kind and ignore them. Will correct them when my lethargy decides to go easy on me. **

Chapter-5

"Hermione, you've got a butterbeer moustache!" Ron said chuckling. Before Hermione could take out her handkerchief from the pocket of her muggle jeans, Ron gave her his'. She took it and wiped the moustache and looked up at him to thank him when she saw he had a moustache too.

She was suddenly reminded of the time when she and Draco had gone to have lunch in the Leaky Cauldron where Draco had subjected Hermione to incessant teasing, calling her 'buck teeth' after he had seen her childhood pictures. Draco had had a butterbeer and also adorned a butterbeer moustache which Hermione _conveniently_ forgot to tell him about. A good hour was spent with a confused Draco who couldn't figure out why girls would giggle incessantly after glancing at him. It was only when a little girl had pointed at him to his mother, and Draco checked his reflection in one of the windows of the shops they were passing by did the mystery of the mocking stares appear to solve itself by a very irate Draco. Hermione had ignored his rants. Actually, she had quite enjoyed them. He had totally deserved it for being such an arse.

Hermione couldn't help but chuckle at the memory. Her chuckle was greeted by a suspicious look from Ron which made her feel extremely guilty. She shoved all thoughts of Draco aside and focused on Ron.

"How do you reckon Theo and Ginny must be faring?" Hermione asked, they all had parted ways fifteen minutes after they'd met rendering the meaning of 'double date' futile. Theo had wanted to go to the Quidditch store nearby and Ginny didn't mind. Hermione who hated Quidditch didn't think she could stomach an Up close and Personal experience and surprisingly, her date seemed to agree with her. So they had parted ways.

"I don't know, Mione...But I'm not uncomfortable with Gin dating a death eater's son..." Ron said sullenly. "I know he's your good friend...but still" Ron added quickly. Hermione merely sighed. Shouting at Ron wouldn't ease his prejudices.

"I know, Ron. But give him a chance, will you? Theo's...lovely." She said smiling brightly. For some reason that upset Ron more. Maybe she shouldn't have added the 'lovely'.

"Well, it's not just that Mione... I just don't trust Slytherins. And...also...Harry and I both strongly suspect that Draco is a Death Eater. No matter how much you refute it, the evidence says otherwise."

"What _evidence_ are we referring to?" Apart from your obvious prejudices, she wanted to add.

"Well, Harry saw him Borgin and Burkes-"

"We already discussed that Ron. Harry's case is very weak and I _know _Draco, okay? He would never do anything like taking the Dark Mark." She said annoyed that Ron wouldn't believe her and with a little trepidation over her being wrong. "I know him." She mumbled trying to convince herself.

"I know Mione..." Ron sighed. "What say we leave here and go get some sugar quills?"

Hermione's expression brightened immediately. Ron always knew the right thing to say to cheer her up. They went to Honeydukes where Ron bought her several sugar quills and she bought him the chocolate frogs he loved. After that, Ron was eager to go to the shrieking shack which alarmed Hermione to no end. To her relief, he just took her near the barbed wire which shielded the Shrieking Shack and conjured up snow from the end of his wand.

"What are you doing, Ron?" Hermione asked him, confused. He had created a bed of snow and now he lay atop it and grinned at her, patting the snow beside him unwrapping the chocolate frogs. Exactly like they did when they were younger. When they were younger, they could only do this when it was winters or when one of the adults were feeling extra generous towards the kids. The adults were pissed off at the cluster of kids creating a ruckus that they spent much of their time being scolded and only Mr. Weasely would secretly make them the bed of snow they loved so much.

"Like old times." He said. Hermione lay beside him eating the chocolate frogs while they debated on which shape the clouds were taking.

"How do you reckon she was like?" Ron suddenly asked.

"Who're you talking about?"

"Your mom. Your real mom, I mean."

The question seemed strange to Hermione. She realized nobody had asked her that. Not even stupid Draco. She pursed her lips disapprovingly at that thought. She had to stop thinking about that prat. Her insides, however, warmed at the fact that Ron cared enough to think, wonder and ask. He was such a kind soul. Thoughtful without even trying.

"Well," Hermione began nervously for it was the first time she was talking about her mum to anybody, "My parents, I mean my adoptive parents, gosh, that sounds so wrong!' Hermione said, almost angrily. She punched her fist through the snow. "I- I don't even know how to talk about it. About them. How do I refer to my real- my _foster _parents without sounding cold? Calling them my 'foster' or 'adoptive' parents sounds so...so wrong." Somehow she wished Ron hadn't brought this topic up.

"Well, you can call your biological parents mother and father and Mr. And Mrs. Lyra as mum and dad Easy peasy." He said in a matter-of-factly way. Hermione looked at Ron curiously. He had offered the simplest of solutions to her _big mind-wrecking _problem. Maybe that's what she needed. Simplification of her over-analyzed thoughts. The thought comforted her. She smiled at Ron before saying,

"Well, mum told me that mother was a very kind and bubbly person." Hermione said feeling glad that her words did not feel cold and impersonal towards either of her parents. "They said mother and father got married quite early. Mother was like 23 or something I guess, when she gave birth to me. They were both dentists."

At Ron's confused expression at the term, Hermione chuckled and said, "Dentists are kind of Healers for teeth. Weird, right? I was a little spooked out too but turns out dentistry is a respectable professions. Muggles apparently go to dentists to get their teeth fixed. It's good I took Muggle Studies. It helps me understand their world better. And mum and dad even gave me their, my mother and father's I mean, wedding albums and- do you want to see what they looked like?" Hermione asked eagerly. She felt so _happy_ that she had somebody who _wanted_ to listen to all this. She didn't even realize until Ron had asked her that she _wanted_- no, she was _bursting_ with the need of confiding all this in somebody. Ron smiled, nodding at her, making her feel all warm. She quickly reached out into the crook of her neck to take out the gold necklace. She unclasped the heart shaped necklace from her neck and opened the little heart for Ron to see the images of her parents.

"They're not moving!?"

"Yeah, muggle pictures don't move Ron." Hermione sighed at Ron's lack of knowledge but Ron seemed unperturbed and looked at the pictures with great interest.

"They look happy." He said finally.

"Yeah, they do." Hermione said, gazing up at the puffy clouds in the azure sky.

"You've got her hair and nose. And your father's eyes." Ron said eliciting a delighted squeal from Hermione.

"Really?" she sat up, excited. The hair was a dead giveaway of course but other than that she had been quite disappointed that she hadn't found any resemblance and Ron's comments made her think otherwise. "But the pictures are too tiny for you to see properly, Ron." She said, trying to calm her excitement for fear of disappointment but Ron said, "Yeah, but I'd still bet ten galleons you've got your mother's nose and your father's voice."

Being brought up in a family of Weaselys with brothers like George and Fred who liked to bet on everything and anything as a way of showing confidence, Hermione knew not to take offense at Ron's way of calming her fears and strengthening her confidence. She lay back, satisfied. She raised her wand to cast the Avis charm conjuring pretty yellow birds who circled them.

"Mudblood and Blood traitor- ah, what a pair!" A burly voice startled them. They sat up to find Crabbe and Goyle leering at them.

"Oh sod off! You guys are pathetic!" Hermione said trying to calm Ron down who insisted on boxing their ears off.

"Why? You two shopping for your dream home?"Goyle said. The both of them broke into sniggers. Hermione rolled her eyes and looked away to find – Draco Malfoy regally leaning against a tree, several feet away from them. He was eating a green apple looking quite pleased with himself. He must have brought these two leering idiots here, Hermione concluded.

"Why don't you two run off and make out with each other in one of the broom closets?" Ron retorted, angrily. He was red in the face. Hermione knew she had to do something before Ron got into a fist fight and got into loads of trouble.

"Oppugno" Hermione said and the twittering birds circling their head started attacking the twats who ran for their life. She looked back at Draco who was not pleased at the situation. She grinned triumphantly and looked up at Ron, who was now standing. He helped her up and magicked the snow to vanish. While they made their way to the castle Hermione knew Draco was somewhere around so she said,

"Well, Ron Professor Slughorn's giving this party this Saturday and we're allowed to bring guests. I was thinking if you'd want-"

"Yes!" Ron replied with great enthusiasm, his ears completely red. They made their way to the Castle where they were greeted by a grumpy Harry who did not enjoy being left alone. They offered him sugar quills and chocolate frogs which cheered him up a bit. Later, Harry sat them down and told them about the trips he and Professor Dumbledore were making into Voldemort's life. The exquisite details made Hermione shudder. Professor Dumbledore seemed eager to dispense as much knowledge about Voldemort's life to Harry as was possible. The Ministry on the other hand was equally eager to smother all concerns about the rise of the dark lord.

War was just around the curb, waiting to strike any minute.

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"Theodore Nott, don't tell me you snogged Ginny Weasely on her first date with you!" Hermione whispered incredulously. They were sitting in the library. They still had an hour to go for dinner. Theo gave her an expression which was a mixture of guilt and triumph.

"Well," She cleared her throat at his foolish grin, "How was it?"

"It was..." His words disappeared into the foolish grin again. Hermione rolled her eyes but in retrospect, she was quite pleased with the result. Ginny liked Theo. Well, she certainly did enjoy snogging him.

"So...do you plan to ask her out soon?"

"Well, that's what I am confused about. How soon is it before I am okay to ask her out?"

Hermione looked at him blankly. "I have no idea." They both sighed at their inconclusive answers.

"Well, never mind me, how was your date with the Weasel?" Hermione glared at him for using the nickname given to Ron by the infamous Draco Malfoy to which Theo smiled apologetically. Hermione pursed her lips stopping herself from saying more on the nickname because she knew it would bring up the topic of Draco, one which she hadno interest in indulging in at the present moment.

So she cheerfully said, "It was wonderful, I guess. It was so casual and really fun. He even asked about my parents you know...my late parents... I mean." Hermione nervously shifted in her seat at the mention of her parents. She hadn't spoken about them to anyone. Theo seemed to notice this but he didn't say anything. He didn't want to make her feel even more uncomfortable.

"Well, anyway, what I was saying was that Ron...is good for me..." She said in a small voice

"So you like him?"

"Well, I do love him in a friend-sort of a way so I guess I can learn to like him in the romantic sort of a way." Even as she was saying it, Hermione knew she hadn't convinced either of them. "I can learn to love- no, I _need_, to learn to love what's good for me..." she said determinedly. Now this, Theo understood and sympathized with.

"Well, well, well, isn't this a sweet sight? Two best friends exchanging notes about their dates!" A cold voice drawled. They didn't need to look up from their huddled selves to know that it was Draco Malfoy who was speaking.

"What do you want, Draco?" Hermione asked, angry. She was pissed off at him for setting his minions off at Ron and her. Didn't he think of anyone else other than himself?

"Why, nothing of course, my dear." Draco said, sitting on the chair opposite to them. "Nothing apart from wanting to know how my mate's important date went today." His lie was fooling no one. Hermione knew he wanted to know how _her_ date went and probably rub it in her face about how Crabbe and Goyle had mocked her and Ron. Well, she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of thinking that their inane words had affected her or Ron in any manner.

"It was amazing, mate. Thanks for asking." Theo said grinning as if nothing was amiss. As if Draco didn't look like he didn't give two shits about Theo's date. As if Draco's eyes weren't boring into Hermione's head which was lowered as she was pouring over her homework or at least pretending to do so.

"And Hermione, what about your date?" Draco asked with fake enthusiasm. "How did that go?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"I'm merely trying to be your _friend_." Ah, he was referring to the conversation they had had after Hermione had accused him of acting like a stranger. Well, mighty nice time he had chosen to be her _friend._

"Well, as your friend, I guess I'll tell you that my date with Ronald went wonderfully." She said in a high pitched voice. Draco's eyes narrowed to slits while he scrutinized the petite witch sitting in front of him. He wanted to give her neck a good throttle for looking so happy about going on a date with that stupid Weasel.

"Went to the Three Broomsticks did you?" He asked her, angrily. He knew the answer of course. He had seen her there.

"You were there?" Theo asked, joining in the conversation.

"Yes, I was passing by." Draco's eyes never left Hermione's face. His face adorned one of his infamous sneers.

"Oh yes! We went to Three Broomsticks, where we had some delicious butterbeers and then we headed to Honeydukes where Ron bought me some sugar quills," She delightedly wagged the sugar quill she was holding in his face, "And we also had some chocolate frogs and-"

"How could you _stand_ being close to someone as loathsome as him? He's so..." frustrated, Draco ran a hand through his silver mane, "He's not _**me**_!" He looked positively livid.

"Exactly." She said, returning to her homework.

"Do-" He began but she cut him off.

"What's my mother's name, Draco? My _biological _mother's name" She asked him, her face and voice betraying no emotion. Her eyes scanned his handsome pale face. His frustrated grey eyes glared at her incredulously. "My father's? You don't even know the names of my parents. Do you even _want_ to know?" Draco looked away, his face flush with anger. He seemed conflicted. "You're bad for me. We're bad for each other. When will you get this into your head?"

She sighed, "You might know plenty about Hermione Lyra but you know nothing of Hermione Granger. And that's the person I am today. I may be someone else tomorrow but I will never be Hermione Lyra. Never completely, I guess. And you're not ready to accept that. You have failed to be even a friend to me, Draco." She gathered all her books and stuffed them into her satchel before bidding goodbye to Theo while Draco sat there, petrified processing the words she had thrown at him.

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"So, Mione, Ron tells me you asked him to Slughorn's Christmas party?" Ginny asked, beaming. Pink spots freckled Hermione's cheeks while she nodded. "So I'm right in guessing the date went well?" They were sitting in the Great Hall, eating their dinner, talking in hushed whispers for fear of being overheard. Thankfully, Harry and Ron hadn't arrived yet. It would be difficult to discuss this without their incessant prodding and taunts about being excluded from the discussion.

"Yeah, Gin, it was ...Wonderful." Hermione said feigning a bright smile. She didn't know why but she didn't want Ginny to know that she didn't feel anything romantic for Ron yet. She didn't want Ginny to be cross with her. She was afraid it might make her dump Theo.

"And how was _your_ date with Theo?" Hermione asked, with a mischievous gleam in her eyes. _Theo tells me you guys were snogging each other senseless by the end of it, _She wanted to say but she didn't. Now it was Ginny's turn to grow scarlet.

"Well," She cleared her throat, "It was, erm, nice, I s'pose..." She had started fiddling with her spoon. "I guess I wouldn't exactly mind seeing more of him soon." Ginny said in a small voice, stubbornly avoiding Hermione's triumphant expression. Hermione giggled with excitement! Oh how happy Theo would be to learn this!

Hermione was going to give her an 'I told you so' comment when Ron's voice stopped her short.

"Hey, Mione, hey Gin." Ron said, he looked a little flushed. His eyes scanned the food with great interest. "I'd like some of that-"Ron said reaching for the blueberry muffin and sitting down beside Hermione.

"O' Go'Ric Eez zoo good! 'Ave sum 'moni" Ron said.

"Ron, stop talking with your mouth full !" Hermione admonished him but accepted the muffin he offered.

"Yeah, Ron, listen to your _girlfriend_." Ginny said loud enough for the people in the vicinity to hear. And the people in the vicinity were unfortunately Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil who had drank in her every word and were now huddled to discuss this new development and debate on how best to spread the news throughout the school. Hermione went scarlet. She once again wished the earth would open up and swallow her whole.

Now the whole school would know she was dating Ron. And she didn't want that yet. She didn't even feel anything _romantic_ towards him. She looked at Ginny who gave her a satisfied smile. Hermione wondered if Ginny had purposely said it aloud because she knew Parvati and Lavender were nearby so that it could be made official that Hermione was dating Ron. The thought infuriated Hermione but Ginny only gave her an innocent smile while Ron looked even more flustered mumbling something about Quidditch and homework.

Dumbledore took the stage shortly after announcing that the Winter Ball, similar to the Yule Ball, would be held soon before the winter vacation began. Later, in the common room, Hermione saw Dean ask Ginny to the prom, before Ginny could answer Hermione interrupted them by saying, "Ginny's off the market boys! She's dating Theodore Nott!" Hermione sent a sickly smile to Ginny which said- _two can play at this game._

Loud gasps could be heard at her announcement. Ginny's face grew the colour of her hair. She pretended to be immersed in a conversation with Angelina about the upcoming Quidditch game with Ravenclaw in an attempt to ignore the curious, reproachful, excited glances and whispers being shot at her.

Before going to bed however, Ginny caught up with Hermione and said, "I was wrong at doing that. I'm sorry." She was looking at her feet.

"I'm...sorry too for getting back at you that way..." Hermione said in a small voice. Ginny grinned at her and said, "Well, never mind about all of that now. We've got decisions to make, dresses to choose, and all that!"

Hermione shook her head, smiling at Ginny's response. The girl ran hot and cold.

"By the way, who are _you_ taking to the Slughorn's Christmas party?" Hermione asked snidely

"Ugh, You **know** who!" She said blushing furiously.

"Voldemort?" Hermione teased at which Ginny rolled her and tried, unsuccessfully, to suppress a small smile sneaking up on her lips.

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The next weekend came pretty fast and so did Professor Slughorn's party. Slughorn's party wasn't even half as bad as they thought it would be. It was rather fun, actually. Hermione wore pink robes and her curls encircled her heart-shaped face and Ron looked quite nice in his black robes, though they were a little faded. Ginny was wearing a black dress which hugged her curves; she was looking flustered on the arm of a very handsome and confident Theodore Nott. Harry had surprised all by coming with Luna. They both looked rather dashing too, Harry in his black robes and Luna in her dreamy pale yellow dress.

Everything was going pretty well before an eager Argus Filch dragged an irate and indignant Draco Malfoy with him by the collar.

"Alright, alright, I was gate crashing!" Hermione heard him say. She knew Draco wasn't invited to the party because he wasn't a part of the Slug Club and that was because his father was a death eater.

Hermione watched him with wary eyes while the dispute continued. Draco's sneer remained intact on his face as Professor Snape offered to escort Draco out of the party.

"Certainly, Professor." Draco had sneered at their Potions Professor who had given him an expressionless look before walking out the Party, expecting Draco to follow. Draco was about to turn away to follow the Professor before his eyes fell on the pretty brunette who suddenly felt she couldn't breathe under his intense eyes. His eyes met with hers for a second before glaring murderously at her waist- where Ron's hand lay gently. He shot her murderous daggers before leaving the Party. Hermione almost slapped Ron's hand away. Almost. She was saved by Theo who had caught on what was going on and immediately caught her hand and changed the topic to a more entertaining one.

Fifteen minutes later, Hermione and Ron found themselves being dragged to a corner by a very flustered Harry.

"What is it, mate?" Ron asked him. Harry cast a quick _muffliato _spell the one he had learned from the Prince's book to make sure nobody overheard them.

"I just heard Snape and Malfoy talking about some Unbreakable Vow. It looked like Snape was offering Malfoy help for whatever task Malfoy has been given by Voldemort." Hermione was about to interrupt when Harry said, "When Katie was cursed, you said there was no way Malfoy had any hand in it because any dark substance could be discovered by the Dark Sensors used by Filch but girls were easily able to smuggle things from Fred and George's shop and so we can satisfactorily conclude that these precautions and checks can fail. Hermione, I know you think, no - you _know_, that Malfoy would _**never **_take the Dark Mark but all of this adds up and you cannot ignore this anymore."

Hermione bit her lip anxiously and looked away refusing to answer. "What is an Unbreakable Vow, anyway?" Harry asked Ron who was watching Hermione with warily.

"Huh? Erm, well, it's when two people are bound together by a Vow...if you break the Vow you die..."

It was all adding up in Harry's head now. Draco Malfoy was clearly up to something on Voldemort's request and he was bound to Snape with an Unbreakable Vow. Snape was worried about Draco Malfoy not completing the task and had even offered assistance. What _was_ this task? The question haunted Harry. He _had_ to talk to Professor Dumbledore about this. Professor Dumbledore seemed to have put his trust in the wrong person. Like his parents had done once. He did not want his beloved professor to end up like his parents.

Meanwhile, Hermione's head was buzzing with all of this information. If Harry's suspicions were true then...Draco had lied to her ..._all this time? _He was a Death Eater since they had started _dating?_ No, no. Draco wouldn't do that. If not for her, he would never do that to himself. He had morals...right... He had always said he would what was necessary to protect his family. And one could of course not protect one's family by joining the Dark Side...or ...could they? Could _he?_

Hermione's devastation was apparent on her face. She had forgotten the company she was in. She was too busy contemplating the various alternatives to Harry's hypothesis. She felt someone nudge her sharply on the shoulder. Theodore.

"You okay?"He asked her, he looked concerned. Did he know about Draco? , Hermione wondered. Theo _had_ asked Hermione to stay away from Draco. She so desperately wanted to ask him but the time and situation weren't correct. She nodded at him. Hermione tried to participate but her thoughts always found their way to one Draco Malfoy. She tried to focus on what Ginny and Luna were talking about.

"Ginny, didn't you have a bruise on your arm from the Quidditch practice earlier?" Luna asked dreamily.

"Yeah...I used a glamour charm..." Ginny said sheepishly. Glamour Charm...Hermione's eyes widened, her heartbeat quickened. She looked at Theo with alarmed eyes. Theo looked at her confused. She turned back to Ron who was talking to Harry.

"Ron, I – I need to go. I'll see you later." She said not caring for etiquette at the moment as she made a beeline for the exit door. She needed to find the silver-haired boy.

After searching for him everywhere, she finally found him curled up in Astronomy Tower. He looked deathly pale. His eyes were glazed. He was clad in black robes, sitting with his back leaned against the wall. He was staring into space. When he saw Hermione, life seeped back into his grey orbs. His lips curled into a small smile. A cold draft of wind flew through the tower making Hermione, who had forgotten her wrap in haste, shudder. She could feel herself warm a second later. She looked at Draco to find his wand aimed at her.

"Tsk. Tsk. Always need to be taken care of." He drawled turning his gaze from her eyes to the floor.

She stared at him for some time. She couldn't believe the reason she was here. She was trying to understand how she had gotten herself into such a messed up predicament. She wondered why did she ever have to meet Draco Malfoy. Why did she ever befriend him? Fall in love with him?

_Not the time to dwell on futile thoughts, _Hermione admonished herself as she advanced towards Draco.

"Roll up your sleeve, Draco." She said coldly. The coldness of her voice surprised her. His head snapped up as his eyes bore into hers. She lowered herself next to him.

"Why?" He had the audacity to ask. Hermione could feel her temper snap as she angrily scratched at his sleeve which he was intent on protecting with all his might. He finally complied, pulling up his sleeve to reveal unmarred smooth pale skin. But she knew better than to judge the book by its cover. Draco had used the Glamour Charm each time he wanted to calm Hermione's fears down about him taking the Dark Mark. _Brightest Witch of her age! pah! Her rationale had failed her when it came to stupid, sodding Draco, _She cursed herself mentally. She took out her wand and before Draco could protest, she immediately muttered the Revealing Charm which allowed her to see the beginnings of the scales of the snake before Draco snatched his hand back and pulled his sleeve down. Hermione sat there, petrified as reason seeped into her. She regained her senses and started pounding Draco with her small fists. As the adrenaline was being pumped furiously into every part of her body, Hermione realized how numb she had been before. How numb she had gone after her break up with Draco. And how sickly, disgustingly, alive she felt now. She hadn't _**felt**_ much in a really long time. And now her whole being was being flooded with powerful acrimonious feelings.

"How could you do this, Draco!?" She screamed, tears running down her face, as she punch him in his and his arm. He looked at her with sad eyes. With eyes that said, _you wouldn't understand._ That infuriated her even more. "How c-could you do this to-to... ME!? How-how could you do this to yourself?" She sobbed heavily. She was wailing like a banshee. Her grief knew no bound. She had let her love for Draco could her judgement. Seated next to him, she pelted him with punches.

"They were all right, oh Godric, _**everybody**_ was right about you but I still held on," she sobbed, "I held on to my belief in _you_." She covered her face with her hands which ached from the weak punches she delivered. "I-I, I _**fought **_for you. With my own best friends. Every day. Every day." Her shoulders shook violently from her sobs. "Why did I ever _meet_ you?" She whispered, exhausted. "_Why?" _She croaked before her voice gave in to more sobs. She closed her eyes and leaned her back against the wall. Allowing the cold from the wall to petrify her whole being, but the heating charm was working well much to Hermione's disgust. She felt him crouch in front of her and lean his forehead against hers- breathing her in. Hermione was too exhausted and devastated to protest.

He then said the two things he had never said before and it was said in futility, he thought, because those words didn't exist anymore anyway as he whispered an _obliviate_ without giving his lover a moment to relish the words he had spoken_._

_I love you. I'm sorry._

He had said.

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**A/N- HAPPY NEW YEAR (I guess)! 2013 is here! Any new year resolutions? I haven't decided about making any this year. Anyway, my gift to you guys- another quick update! I am such a bad girl for not studying for my upcoming exams which begin on 7****th**** of January, 2013! Argh, so awful of me! But I love Draco and Hermione so much. Anyway, don't you just love Theo and Ginny's pair? 'Thinny' LOL. I love them! I love Harry and Luna too! I love Luna! Anybody who has watched SKINS has to agree that Cassie (maybe a little slutty) version of Luna Lovegood! I love both of them nevertheless! By the way, I am not planning on making this story very long. Maximum 10-15 chapters! Just wanted to give you guys a heads up! and if you have any suggestions about how the story can go, don't be hesitant to message me! **


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER- 6

Draco Malfoy lay on the thick blanket of snow in front of the lake. The snow had been terribly late this winter but it was here now and that was all that mattered. Last night's events made their way to Draco's head. Never had he told Hermione or any other girl apart from his mother that he loved her. Or ever apologized, for that matter. Malfoys don't apologize.

He thought about how peaceful Hermione had looked last weekend when she was lying next to that stupid Weasel. A hole burned through his chest at the thought. Well, it wasn't long now before his plan worked out completely. It was already in motion. He had fixed the Vanishing Cabinet to allow easy passage for the Death Eaters. Stage one was over. Now only two more steps...and he'd get what he wanted and everything would be okay. Well, almost.

He wondered how Hermione was doing. All that crying, punching and memory loss must have completely worn her out. She was lucky it was a Sunday. She could sleep in. Obliviating her was an experience much worse than being subjected to Crutiatius Curse, Draco thought.

He hadn't wanted to do that. But he had no choice. He could not afford her running off to stupid Potter and the Weasel about Draco being a Death Eater. If news reached the Dark Lord that Draco was being suspected of being a Death Eater, the whole deal would be off. And Draco couldn't afford that. And anyway, there would be time later, to apologize, to express his love for her. Lots of time.

He thought about what Hermione had said to him yesterday afternoon. She had said that he didn't know her. Psh. Of course he knew Hermione like the back of his hand. She was...Hermione. She was his Hermione. She liked snow, sweets, smutty novels, _loved_ homework and devouring books whenever time allowed her and she also liked ugly animals- Draco grimaced at the thought of Hermione's cat Crookshanks.

Thank Merlin she had decided to leave the damned thing at home this year. She took her tea with two sugars and didn't like caffeine much. She would use big words unnecessarily because it made her feel smart. She hated being called buck teeth. And she had the best hugs in the world. Well, next to his mother, of course.

See? Draco knew her. He knew Hermione Ly- ...Hermione Granger. Draco scowled, he knew Hermione Granger too. And if he didn't, well, there was loads of time later to get to know her too. Draco closed his eyes, humming one of the muggle songs Hermione had taught him, enjoying the soft sunlight- which some bloody sod had blocked?

He opened his eyes to be greeted with angry brown eyes. He couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face. AH, here she was. Speak of the devil, he thought. He chuckled at his thought. She was hardly a devil. But what was she doing here so early? There was still an hour to go for breakfast. Her breathing was ragged. Had she come here running?

He wondered why she looked so angry. Had she figured out that he had obliviated her last night? Nah, that was impossible. She looked like she was looking for the right words to spit at him. He knew that bushy head of words must be contemplating between many pretty words. He chuckled again, probably infuriating her even more. He lay there, cradling his head in his hands, contently staring at her irate fuming form. Her hair was extra bushy and wild this morning. Draco had the sudden urge to run his fingers through the bushy mane. Pink spots were freckled on her cheeks. She looked beautiful.

"What the hell happened last night?" She finally asked, through gritted teeth. What was she on about?

Draco's heart quickened. What if she knew? He thought.

"Why? What happened?" he asked, nonchalantly. Surveying the environment with great interest. They were all alone, he noticed.

"Well, I don't remember much of last night and people tell me 'Draco Malfoy' had carried my unconscious body to Gryffindor common room." She said in a breath. "What. The. Hell. Happened?"

"You're so rude in the mornings." He said tsk-ing her.

"Just answer the question, Malfoy."

Draco's eyes shot back to her. "What did you just call me?" he sat upright to give her a good glare.

"What?" Her voice faltered slightly. She knew what he was talking about. He growled and was about to get up when Hermione aimed her wand at him.

"Answer me. _Malfoy._" She said, angry. His grey eyes penetrated into her brown ones. She stood her ground, looking at him defiantly.

"So I'm _**Malfoy**_ to you now?" He growled as he clenched his jaw angrily.

"This is how I treat people who are not my friends." She said nonchalantly. "So? What happened to me last night?" She asked. "_Malfoy?_" She added the last part with an inevitable evil gleam in her eyes. She knew it hurt him. And she was gladly using it against him. That little minx! Draco was seething with anger. He reined his anger and looked up at her giving her his infamous Malfoy smirk and said,

"Well, I don't wish to deign myself to answer questions from strangers." He watched the gleam fade away from Hermione's eyes and frustration seep in as she spluttered,

"But-But we're not _strangers_, we're acquaintances!"

"An acquaintance I do not care for!" He said harshly and lay back, cradling his head in his hands.

"Fine. Whatever. I'm leaving! Breakfast is going to start in a few minutes anyway." She spat angrily.

_That Weasel would be there, _Draco thought bitterly and immediately said, "I would be willing to trade information for something in return."

Hermione stopped in her tracks and turned slowly, measuring each step, measuring each word. "Like what?"

"Well, it would start with you walking here." His voice and eyes betrayed no emotion. He looked completely nonchalant like he was saying the most obvious thing in the whole world. Hermione watched him warily. She wondered why her instincts were asking her to make a run for it. It was only Draco after all. She walked to him, towering him, she asked, "And?"

In response he pulled her hand, making her fall on her knees in the soft snow, with an 'oomph'.

"I want you to remember." He said finally, sitting cross legged, his grey searching for something frantically in her brown eyes. "When you didn't flinch at my sight, or wince at my touch or curse my being." He said bitterly. She looked down at him and looked away, a little guilty.

"Why are you saying all this, Draco?" She had forgotten to use his last name. She internally scolded herself when she saw the triumphant little smile which Draco adorned. She bit back a groan, not wanting to give him more satisfaction.

"So that when I do this-"He wrapped his arms around Hermione's torso, who immediately tried to stop him, "You don't stop me." He said making Hermione's hands freeze mid-air. This felt too intimate. This was wrong. But he had used his ultra-sad-I-have-no-one-in-this-world voice which Hermione couldn't resist. And he knew that. That asshole. She tried to remind herself of why she was doing this.

"Oh Merlin, You are so cold!" She exclaimed horrified and quickly started muttering Warming Charms but Draco didn't look like he cared. He had his face nuzzled in her chest and was enjoying her warmth. But he didn't like the way her hands lay still on his shoulders- waiting to push him away, he felt. He took her hands and placed them on his head bidding her to start her practiced ministrations. She sighed but complied- running her hands through the silky blond hair and rubbing his back softly. If she were a little more still- he could just fall asleep, then and there. But Hermione was getting impatient and her knees were hurting.

"Well?" She asked, impatient. Draco had completely tuned her out. Her tone was ruining Draco's buzz.

"Hm?" he asked, quite annoyed at being rudely interrupted.

"Are you going to tell me or not?" he didn't like the threatening manner in which she said those words. Why was she in such a hurry to leave? To go to that stupid Weasel? Draco had thought Hermione had been humouring that rodent for Theo's sake but suddenly, Hermione being that pathetic slug's _**girlfriend**_ spread like wildfire throughout the school and the sickly sight of them together, with that fucking git blushing pathetically, was not saying the opposite. The thought infuriated him. He tried to flush his anger down. He didn't want to ruin what moments he was able to steal.

"Hmm..." He said snuggling further into her making her feel extremely uncomfortable and awkward. Her stomach was filled with butterflies and her heart was embarrassingly beating way too fast for her comfort.

"Yes?" She pushed, her voice showed impatience and nervousness.

"Well, I saw you last night in the Second Floor corridors..." Draco lied without guilt, without conscience.

"And?" She had stopped her ministrations now. Draco didn't like that. Draco looked up to frown at her, his chin ghosting on the valley between her breasts, but she was determinedly looking away with great interest at the snow to her left.

"You seemed really tired. You collapsed. I helped you back to your dorm." He said tersely, kind of annoyed at Hermione's blatant try at nonchalance when he, Draco Malfoy, was holding her like that. Did he mean nothing to her? Did she get over him? The thought horrified and pissed Draco off to no end. He wanted to give her a good shake to wake her up from her stupid thoughts of the Weasel.

"That's it?" She said looking surprised and relieved, even a little suspicious. "I collapsed and you helped me back to my dorm?" she was eyeing him warily.

"Yep." He said and rested his head against her chest.

"Hm. Well, nice to know." She said and waited for Draco to let her go but Draco wasn't ready for this to be over yet.

"Draco, let me go." She said uncomfortably. He refused to acknowledge her rant. "Draco, my-my knees are hurting. I need to-" Before she could register what was happening, she was flipped over, her back laid against the snow with Draco hovering above her.

"All better?" He had the audacity to ask. He was quite enjoying Hermione's discomfort.

"Fucking hell, Draco! G-get off me!" She said alarmed, she reached for her wand but it wasn't there in her pocket. It was held smartly between Draco Malfoy's fingers who settled himself next to her, propping his head on his palm slipping her wand in the pocket of his pants.

"I don't like it when you swear." He said in a a-matter-of-factly way which irked Hermione to no end. "Or the stupid activities you've taken up in a desperate attempt to get over me."

"Activities?" Hermione spat, indignantly. "What the _fuck _are you exactly referring to?" She tried to sit up but Draco's hand clamped down on her shoulder roughly keeping her in place. He was beginning to scare her a little.

"I am saying I am tired and I would appreciate it very much if you would stop your stupid games so that things can go back to the way they were." He said tersely, leaning towards her making her push herself into the snow as far as possible. She couldn't recognize the look in his eyes. It was so feral and crazed. It was almost...inhuman for a second... She wondered what the hell was going on with Draco nowadays.

"Is that what you really think? That dating Ron is an _activity_? I'll have you know that I actually like-"

"Don't you _dare_ say that you have any feelings for rotten swine like him!" He screamed at her, making her shudder. He was really scaring her now. "And you know why? Because you're _**mine**_!" he growled before branding her with a hot searing kiss. She tried to push him away but he caught her wrists and wrenched them on the top of her head. Before she could kick him, his crushing weight came upon her. He was too close to her. This was too intimate and very, very wrong. He was not the Draco she fell in love with. This was some sodding monster that looked like Draco and had his memories. She could feel his impatience and anger at her stubbornness to refuse him entry into her mouth. She clamped her teeth shut determinedly, she could feel hot tears stream down her eyes into the snow.

He let go of her hands to slip one of his hands under her robes and reached inside her shirt to palm her breast eagerly, eliciting a surprised gasp from Hermione which allowed Draco's tongue to plunge into her mouth. She wondered if he was going to rape her. The thought panicked Hermione to no end. Her weak fists pounded against him, but they succeeded in ripping his face off of hers. She drank in fresh air, and broke into hysterical sobs. He released a feral growl and moved on to Hermione's neck where he was sucking and nipping at her skin. His hand was still under her shirt, eagerly palming her breast. She could feel Draco's 'phenomenon' against her leg and her sobs grew even more hysterical when she felt one of his hands snake their way up her skirt to her panties. Her whole body hurt so much- from his crushing weight and his roughness.

She tried to rein her feelings in, when Draco pulled her robe off and ripped at the buttons of her shirt. She tried to reach for the pocket of his pants to retrieve her wand but it was out of her reach. She ran her hands over his back trying to fool him into buying her submissive act. Lust driven, Draco didn't question her thoughts and only felt encouraged by her strokes. He sucked and nipped at her collar-bone making his way to her breast when he felt Hermione arch into his kisses which pleased him even more. He knew this would happen. He knew she would stop with her denial and accept how much she wanted him too. He knew her better than she did. He-

"S-s-st-stupefy!" Hermione's trembling voice screamed at him. _That bint_ was his last thought before he slipped into unconsciousness. Struck by her spell, Draco's body was thrown away a feet from her. Sobbing hysterically, Hermione forced her trembling hands to perform repairing spells on her robes. She didn't want to go to the Castle, she was consumed with the fear of Draco Malfoy. Convinced that no one can save her from him there. Her body shook violently from the cold and from the trepidation. She made her down the grounds, towards Hagrid's place, but she didn't want him to see her either. She reckoned the Forbidden Forest was the best place to be because Draco wouldn't look for her there. She didn't want anyone to see her like this. Weak, broken and pathetic.

"Hey, Hermione!" Someone's voice startled her making her jump. Shivering with fear and cold, she turned, with her wand aimed at the intruder –Neville Longbottom, whose friendly smiled faltered when he took in her dishevelled hair and puffy eyes and bruised lips and what looked like hickeys on her neck and...Bite marks? Her eyes wore the same haunting expression his parents and other patients and 's hospital for Magical Maladies did. Something was very wrong.

"Hermione...are...are you...Okay?" he asked advancing towards her. Hermione's widened eyes eyed him warily, adrenaline was still high in her body and the fear was still fresh.

"Let's go to Hagrid's, shall we? Harry's there too." Neville said kindly and in a soft comforting tone. He said it like he understood what was wrong with her. And for that, she let Neville guide her to Hagrid's hut.

"'Mione? What's wrong?" Harry's worried voice asked her when the door to the hut opened. The adrenaline in her body was slowly ebbing away. The fear still remained fresh though. Hermione's eyes took in Harry's presence. He was here now. He would keep her safe. Boy who was able to defeat the greatest wizard of all time, her best friend, would protect her from the vile, disgusting Draco Malfoy. Hermione collapsed in Harry's comforting arms, which enveloped her immediately. She cried for hours while Hagrid, Neville and Harry kept asking her who, after taking in her appearance, had marred her so violently. When Harry tried to pry her fingers off of him, so that he could take her to Madam Pomfrey, Hermione started sobbing and wailing hysterically, clinging on to Harry for her life. Eventually, Harry gave up and sent Neville to inform Ron and Ginny about this. Neville nodded understandingly and went on his way with an unspoken vow to not indulge in the details about this to anyone. He knew about keeping secrets regarding one's loved ones. He just prayed nothing bad had happened with Hermione. She was always so kind to him.

"'Mione? Who did this to you?' Harry asked her again, his friend looked shrivelled and fragile and scared to death. He wanted to kill the bastard who had laid a violent hand on her. But Hermione didn't answer because she had fallen asleep...at last. He wondered who the asshole was. But Hermione had refused to say when she was awake. Her sobs had finally subsided and her fingers had loosened their clutch on Harry's shirt. But whenever Harry tried to transfer her fragile form to Hagrid's bed, Hermione would clutch him tightly again.

"Let 'er be fer now, Harry!" Hagrid had said. "Do yer suppose I should inform Dumbledore 'bout this?" Hagrid asked him. He was contemplating the same thing.

"No..." Harry said. " At least not before she tells us who did this to her..." Harry said glancing at Hermione's asleep form. The door to the hut opened with a blast, making Hermione jump with her, she buried her head in Harry's chest and started sobbing saying, 'He's here, he's here.' Harry shushed her and told her it was only Ron, Ginny and Theo. This made her cry even more. She didn't want them to see her like this. She buried her face in Harry's chest. She was too ashamed.

Ron stood there, petrified. He didn't understand how anybody could hurt someone as chaste and kind as Hermione. Fury flowed in his body and he swore revenge on the person who hurt his 'Mione like that. Even though she was given Healing Potions for her injuries, the scars hadn't faded away yet. Ron shuddered to think what would happen if they never would. They would be an ugly reminder to her. He was confused as to why Hermione wouldn't look at him. Was she angry at him for not being there to protect her? Because he certainly was angry at himself.

Guilt, disgust and anger could be felt emanating from him in waves. Ginny was crouched in front of Hermione, who sat snugly in Harry's lap while Theo looked at the trio with a grave expression, like Ron was. Ron could see the anger burning in his eyes. Maybe Theo wasn't a bad lad after all, Ron thought.

"Erm...'Mione..I'm sorry...but...you would have to get up..." Harry said looking extremely apologetic. Hermione looked up at him in confusion. Was he abandoning her? "I...kinda need to use the bathroom." He smiled at her apologetically for not being able to control his bladder. Hermione gave him a small smile and moved to get off his lap when she felt strong hands pull her into another pair of arms. Startled, she saw Ron, who gave her a heartbreaking sweet smile.

"My lap is free to snuggle on." He said smartly earning a small smile from Hermione who shook her head feeling embarrassed and ashamed of herself for being like a child for that past few hours. Ron pulled her into his arms and hugged her petite fragile tightly. Hermione felt her fear slipping away. She felt so safe in here. Safer than Harry's arms. A tear slid down her cheek as she let out a content sigh against Ron's chest.

"'Mione, who did it?" someone's voice- Theo's voice- had asked her breaking her bubble of happiness. She could feel the anger and knowledge in his voice.

"Mate, I don't think it's the right time to-"Ron was saying but Hermione placed her hand on his cheek shaking her head at him. Her brown eyes boring into his clear blue ones. So unlike the stormy grey ones, Hermione thought, and shuddered. Ron tightened his hold on her. _It's okay, _Her brown said to him. He sighed and loosened his grip so she could turn to face Theo who wore the coldest look she had ever seen him wear. His black eyes were burning with anger. Beside him stood Ginny who had an arm laced around Theo's – probably to calm him down, he looked like he would burst any moment.

"**_Who_ **did it?" He asked tersely. Hermione knew his question was '_Did_ _He do it?_' and Hermione looked away at the fire roaring in Hagrid's little hut and nodded. The Weasely siblings exchanged confused glances. They had no idea what was going on. Theo had gone extremely rigid while tears had started streaming down Hermione's face again. Theo extricated his hand from Ginny's hold. Ginny looked up at him, confused but he avoided her eyes. "I- I have somewhere to be."

"NO! Theo!" Hermione wailed blocking his exit.

"'Mione. Let. Me. Go." He said dangerously. Hermione knew exactly what he was going to do and she didn't want him to do that. It was not worth it.

"No. I will not. **_I_** will hurt him." She said coldly. "Don't take my chance away from me." She said.

"Who, 'Mione? Who are we talking about here?" Ginny asked, speaking for the first time. "Theo?" she asked when Hermione didn't reply. Theo shook his head and sat down on one of the wobbly chairs.

"We should leave. It must be lunchtime now. If we go back now no one will notice our absence." Theo said In an even voice. Ron was going to argue but Hermione said, "That's a good idea."

"_You_ are going to Madam Pomfrey's." Ron said in a commanding tone which surprised Hermione.

"Ron, I am fine. Physically. I – I don't want that asshole to think I am weak."

"Why won't you tell us who he is? _**Will** _you ever tell us who the asshole is?"

"I will. Soon. After I've dealt with him." She said seeming much more like herself now.

They opened the door to the hut to find Harry and Hagrid immersed in conversation. They immediately stopped when they saw Hermione, Ron, Ginny and Theo step out of the hut. Hermione gave Hagrid a weak smile- as a way of thanking him for being there for her.

"Ey, Mione, Glad ter see yer is up and smiling!"

"Yeah...Thanks Hagrid."

"'Mione, do you want to go to Madam Pomfrey? You could get her to give you the tomorrow off for health reasons..." Harry began but Hermione waved him off.

"No, need. I am fine." She grinned.

"It's more to do with your scars. The hickeys, the scratches and the bite marks." Theo said coldly. He was probably miffed that he wasn't getting a chance to pound Dra- _Malfoy, _Hermione forced herself to call him Malfoy from now onwards. Hermione's heart plunged into her stomach. She was covered in hickeys and scratches and...bite marks? Her hands immediately tried to cover her neck and face- where else did she have them? A strong hand- Ron's- stopped her hysterical movements. Ginny elbowed Theo bruising him in his ribs while Harry sent him a death glare. Ron took his Gryffindor muffler and put it around Hermione. Ginny performed the Glamour Charm on her face and said-

"There. No scar now. Right, _Theo_?" She asked, no, _barked_ at which Theo sighed a 'Yes' and left with a quick goodbye to all of them. They all waved goodbye to a concerned Hagrid soon after Theo had left and walked up the castle. Hermione's senses were at hyper-alert mode. She would keep looking around frantically. It was definitely still lunchtime. They headed towards the Great Hall to grab their lunch before the food vanished.

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"Oh there's Theo!" Blaise's voice pulled Theo out of his reverie. He saw Blaise wave at him. Draco was sitting beside him. They were in the Astronomy Tower. Perfect, thought Theo before he started throwing punches at Draco who seemed taken aback for a second but responded with the same fervour. Blaise was absolutely flabbergasted at their spontaneous fight.

"Theo, man, what are you doing!? Stop!" His voice bellowed through the tower as he tried to break the two fighting lions apart, while dodging punches and kicks. Draco had already drawn his wand and was aiming it at Theo, his eye was turning blue and his lower lip was bleeding. Theo drew his wand out too, his nose was bleeding and he tasted blood in his mouth.

"He- He fucking tried to rape 'Mione!" Theo screamed before blasting off curses at Draco who expertly deflected each one of them. Blaise stood there, astounded, allowing the information to seep in. When truth struck him, he stopped trying to break them apart and started attacking Draco too.

"Crucio!" Theo screamed. The curse hit Draco straight in the chest. Draco felt to his knees from the impact, his head lowered. He lifted his head and smirked at Theo and said, "That's pathetic. You have to mean it, Theo." Theo focused all his anger on the smirking man in front of him. Draco stood up, quivering slightly and raised his wand. He wasn't Draco anymore. He was a monster. Whatever nonverbal spell Draco had sent towards Theo had been deflected by the Shielding Charm cast by Blaise.

"Draco, why the fuck would you try to rape Hermione?" Blaise asked his voice low and menacing. Draco looked at him with disgust and said, "I wasn't raping her. I was just a little rough."

"You bastard!" Theo screamed before launching another Crucio at him which Draco blocked. He stood erect now and said, "I am sorry and ashamed things got out of hand." He deflected a curse from Blaise and was walking towards Theo. He needed Theo to understand this to make Hermione understand. He didn't mean to hurt her. He didn't even know he was hurting her. He cast a Stunning Spell at Blaise at Blaise and cast a nonverbal crucio at Theo. He required Theo's complete attention.

"I didn't mean to hurt her. But she shouldn't have rebelled against me like that." He said as Theo fell to his knees with the brutal pain being inflicted on him. He, however, refused to let the pain stop his words,

"You fucking fucktard, leave her the fuck alone. She's with Weasely now and he's much better for her." The magnitude of Theo's pain increased tenfold. He fell to the floor, groaning.

"Now _why_ would you say something like that?" Draco's voice was cold and bleak. He wasn't their friend Draco, anymore. He was a monster who hurt his friends and tried to rape his ex-girlfriend. Draco caught Theo's face in his hand and said, "Tell her that. Tell her how sorry I am. I didn't mean to be rough. But I am not going to let her go. Ever." Draco promised. His eyes were grey but they did not belong to him. They belonged to the monster that had caused this havoc. He was turning into a monster because of the Dark Lord. The Dark Lord had already taken his family from Theo and now he was going to have his friend being snatched from him too. He wasn't going to let that happen, Theo thought as he succumbed to the pain and fell unconscious. Next time, he'd be gentle, Draco thought to himself as he walked down the stairs.

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**A/N- Wrecking my education, here I come, bringing you another chapter! So Draco has been shown to be dark in this chapter because I wanted to show how the whole deal with the Dark Lord and his crazy lessons with his crazy (but incredibly hot) Bellatrix Lestrange have been affecting him. Funny thing is, I had no intention of making it so dark...but idk, it just came to me! I really want to show the contrast between Ron and Draco and how much better Ron is for Hermione. I am a hardcore dramione shipper but I still support Romione because, well, Queen Rowling, has given us substantial reason to believe Ron is her perfect mate. I want to explore both aspects...I guess? **

**Read and review, lovelies! **


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N- Please ignore grammatical errors. Too lazy to correct them**

Chapter 7

Hermione Granger had always loved Fred and George, as elder brothers, of course. Her love for them increased tenfold when she came to realize the importance of the equipment they made. It was the last day of the term, the Winter Ball was to be held that evening, and tomorrow would be the advent of their winter vacation. Hermione would be spending her holidays at the Burrow where Harry was to stay too. It was going to be amazing and Hermione was really excited for it. Although her body still shuddered at the thought of the events which went down the day before, Hermione was sure that Draco wouldn't dare try to do that again. Today was going to be a good day.

Last night a very irate and confused, Theo had confronted Hermione about not telling Harry, Ron and Ginny the name of the culprit.

"'_Mione, why the fuck are you protecting that-that bastard?" His split lip had still not healed completely. They were standing outside of Gryffindor common room. _

"_Theodore Nott!" She scolded him angrily, "Not only did you go against my wishes and start a fight with dra- tha-that Fiend of a man, making me look weak and unable to protect myself,-" Theo was going to interrupt when Hermione raised a hand to shush him, "Now you're questioning my actions? Why should I even answer your question when you didn't respect my wishes?" She challenged him at which Theo glowered at her. _

"_I didn't do that to make you look weak. It had nothing to do with you. I just did what brothers do when somebody hurts their sister. They pummel the shit out of the asshole." He said quietly. Hermione's expression softened at this. her insides warmed at Theo's answer. For a moment, she forgot to be angry at him. She sighed at him and said, _

"_That's very sweet, Theo but I am still angry at you." Theo looked away not knowing what to say to this. Why didn't she understand that he just __**had**__ to do it? There wasn't a choice. Draco had hurt his little sister whom he loved so much. Seeing her get hurt in the vilest manner possible, Theo had to hit Draco even though he had gotten crucio'd pretty bad, which he hadn't told Hermione about. He just had to do it. Period._

"_Well, there is a way I can forgive you and Blaise __**if **_you_ guys help me with my plan to get back at Draco." Hermione said with a mischievous gleam in her eyes which immediately caught Theo's attention. Even though her tactics to get back at Draco seemed quite juvenile and childish, Theo couldn't help but humor her if that's what brought her peace and happiness. After discussing her plan with Theo, Hermione disappeared into the Portrait hole where she was met by a flustered Ron._

"_Ron, are you okay?" She asked, her eyebrows knitted together, creasing her forehead._

"_Yeah" he said, pretty amazed that she was asking him the question he wanted to ask her. She looked pretty okay but he was still worried. "Are __**you**__?" _

_Her expression softened at his question. She gave him the softest smile and said, "Yes, I am. Thank you for today, for being so...understanding and for not badgering me to tell you the name of the..." she struggled for the right term to use for that monster of a Draco Malfoy. Ron surprised her by pulling her into a heart wrenching tight hug, "Always." He said warming her insides up. _

_And that's when Hermione Granger knew that her feelings for Ronald Weasely were not limited to a platonic kind; she had romantic feelings for him. She genuinely liked him, very, very much. And she could see herself with someone like him...maybe for a long time...if not forever. It was much too early to declare forever. But the calm and peace he filled her with was like the safest haven of all. So she mustered all the courage she could find in her little Gryffindor heart and pulled away from him to plant a chaste kiss on his lips which made him turn scarlet. His furious blush made her smile even more._

"_Erm, well, tha-that was well, bloody hell," He mumbled nervously making Hermione grin. "So, well, 'Mione, will you come to the ball with me tomorrow? Or- Or, d-d'you wanna hang here if you're not in the mood for –for any, you know, festivities." He cleared his throat, nervously. Hermione gasped, horrified._

"_What-what's wrong?" Ron asked, worried. Had he said something wrong? Was she hurt someplace? Was she remembering something bad from what had happened earlier that day? _

"_I completely forgot about the ball, Ron! I don't think I have a dress for it!" Her eyes were wide with horror while Ron released a sigh of relief._

"_You need to sort out your priorities, Mione." He shook his head at her girlish rant. Hermione giggled at his comment and pecked him on the cheek before bidding him goodnight and heading for her dorm. He went to bed feeling a little guilty for thinking it was perhaps the best day in his life. Well, she shouldn't have kissed him, if she didn't want him to think so._

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Draco Malfoy was having the worst day ever. When he had woken up that morning to slip into his slippers, Draco found that his slippers were charmed to transform into Biting Blithering Slippers on touch. Sharp fangs had found their way into Draco's pale long feet and a cussing Draco woke up the whole dormitory when he burnt the slippers (which seemed to be the only way to get them off of him) which activated the fire sensing charms in the dormitory, drenching Draco and the whole of his dorm.

Everybody was mighty pissed off at the Pale Blond Slytherin for having woken them to a blast of water, except for Theodore Nott and Blaise Zabini who had _coincidentally_ cast a shield over their beds before they had fallen asleep. Draco immediately knew what was happening. Those prats were helping his Gryffindor wench in whatever scheme she had planned to take revenge on Draco.

Draco managed to stop the bleeding from where the fangs had sunk into the skin of his feet. He was, however, unable to heal the burns completely. The Biting Blithering Slippers were designed such as to cause the maximum pain to the wearer and could be removed only when they were burned to soot, but this meant burning the skin using a powerful fire spell which could not be healed completely by potions or Healing Charms. _The little chit_, Draco thought as he staggered to the bathroom to wash.

And there he was rewarded with dung bombs being blown everywhere, the smell of which, Draco was sure, wouldn't rinse off of his body. With the wave of a wand, yes, being a Death Eater also made him paranoid which made him carry his wand with him wherever he went, he cleared the mess. When Draco turned on the shower, he was awarded with a rain of hot red velvet mud which completely ensconced his body. He was able to heal the burns but the red colour refused to leave him. He looked like Satan's unattractive minion with RED HAIR? His beautiful pale blond hair was crimson now. Now that was going too far for Draco Malfoy's liking. His insides boiled with rage. He wanted to kill that little chit for ruining him like this. His hair was everything. He managed to use one of the hair colour potions to dye his hair back blonde.

Now he looked like a red devil with blond hair who stank like skunk. At least he had his hair. He sighed. Maybe he kind of deserved it for being so rough on her the previous day..._Well_, Draco thought, _if this is what she wants to get even, then fine. I'll let her take her childish revenge on me to make herself feel better. But after that, __**no more games**__._ Draco stepped out of the bathroom to be greeted with gasps which immediately turned into sneers and jeers. He snarled at them which scared half of them but which made the other half only laugh harder. Especially Theo and Blaise who even snapped a few pictures of the whole thing.

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"Dra- Salazar Slytherin! What the hell happened to you?" Pansy's shrill voice called upon more eyes as Draco entered The Great Hall eliciting a wave gasps followed by giggles and boisterous laughter and unwanted comments.

"Shut. Up. Pansy." Draco said tersely as he took his seat at the Slytherin table. The teachers were looking at him weirdly too but none of them cared about the son of a Death Eater enough to enquire. Professor Snape too gave him a sharp glare before going back to the monotonous conversation he shared with Professor Flitwick.

His eyes wandered to the Gryffindor table where he found the little bushy haired chit seated facing him. She was, however, determinedly ignoring him and giggling at the comments the Weasel was whispering in her ear. The Weasel's blue eyes met with Draco's grey orbs. Draco wondered if they knew about what had taken place yesterday. But the Weasel's eyes held nothing more than the usual contempt added with an ounce of extra mockery. He concluded that Hermione had not indeed told the Weasel, Potter and the She Weasel anything. It must only be Theo, her _best, best friend_, Draco thought, bitterly. Theo sat with the She Weasel and surprisingly even Blaise was sitting there talking to Neville fucking Londbottom about something pretty seriously. Neville shook his sad sadly. Fucking sods, they all were!

"Merlin's beard, Draco!" He heard someone gasp. He saw Astoria looking at him with horror filled eyes.

"Wha-what the hell happened? And for Salazar's sake, what on earth is that foul smell?" She wrinkled her nose prettily sitting opposite to him. He wondered why the hell she was even sitting in front of him if he stank so badly. Why couldn't she just fucking sod off?

"It's nothing, Astoria." He said tersely ignoring the giggles and comments made at him. Draco knew he could not afford any detention or any attention at all, in fact from any of the faculty if he wanted to complete his job successfully. So he shut his mouth and let others pass vile comments at him and laugh at him.

"Well, Draco...I know we've broken up- "

"Exactly. So why are you here?" Draco asked biting into a green apple, he was really, really angry at the humiliation being subjected to him. He was a Malfoy. Malfoys do not get laughed at or be made a mockery of by _anyone_. Ah, Draco thought as the epiphany befell him, so that's exactly what the little minx had her eyes on. To hurt his Malfoy pride. She wanted to strip him off his high horse and make him a laughing stock for the whole school. Wounds heal, scars fade but memories stay intact and she was targeting the one thing Malfoys protected more fiercely than anything- their pride.

Unbeknownst to Draco, Astoria had flinched at his rude comment but nevertheless she said, "Well, I know you don't have a date to the ball tonight and I was wondering if...if you wanted...we...could...go together?"

Draco snapped out his trance and eyed the beautiful Slytherin warily. What was the deal with this girl? Here he was, looking atrociously red and smelling horribly and she could have any guy in Hogwarts as a date for the ball and she wanted _him_? Draco smirked. She was so pathetically in love with him.

"Fine." Draco said flatly, eliciting a relieved sigh from Astoria who ate the rest of breakfast in silence.

Meanwhile at the Gryffindor table, Hermione looked _too_ at home with the Weasel, for Draco's taste.

"Honestly, I just _don't_ understand what's so great about Quidditch!" Hermione said looking a little miffed because she was excluded from the conversation for the past ten minutes because it involved Quidditch.

"Well, that's because you're a bookworm." Ron said before stuffing his face with food. Hermione shot him an irritated glance.

"And _what's _so wrong with being a 'bookworm'?" Hermione asked him, furiously buttering her bread. Ron took a large swig of the pumpkin juice before saying,

"Nothing. Like there's nothing wrong with liking Quidditch."

"Well-" Hermione began but was interrupted with a disgusted noise made by Ginny. She turned to look at what Ginny was groaning about. She caught Lavender Brown and Seamus Finnegan snogging the lights out of each other.

"Ugh, couldn't they wait till we were done with breakfast?" Ginny said to which Hermione nodded furiously.

"I don't get people snogging in front of everybody. It's so disgusting and- and embarrassing!" Hermione ranted off when Ron said, "Well, then you're not going to like this." Before Hermione could comprehend the meaning of Ron's words, Ron kissed her in front of everybody. Hermione's face grew really warm and a series of gasps and 'ughs' were released around her,

"Ugh, can you not do that in front of me? It's kind of awkward to see my best mates snogging each other's faces off!" Harry said earning a furious nod from Theo. Ron and Hermione broke apart giggling like silly kids. Hermione's stomach was full of butterflies. She couldn't stop grinning. Everybody in the world should be as happy as she was, she thought, as she took a bite of her buttered toast and let her eyes roam through the hall. Her eyes stopped short, and her smile faded away when she was met with furious grey eyes peeking from a ridiculous red suit which was Draco Malfoy. That fucking sod had the audacity to look angry at her! Hermione's heart plummeted into her stomach with fury and fear when she recalled the sexual harassment he had subjected her to the previous day.

Hermione sent him a defiant glare and slipped her arm around Ron's who was busy talking animatedly to Harry about the match with Ravenclaw which Gryffindor had won last Wednesday. When she saw that Draco's hair was still blond, Hermione admonished herself for forgetting about hair dyes. But all in all, Hermione was quite glad with the whole outcome. The burns in his feet wouldn't go for a week. And the red colour wouldn't wash off his skin for a long time. Now she just had to wait for him take a sip of his pumpkin juice. Hermione smirked at him and then looked away.

"I wonder what the bloody hell happened with Malfoy," Harry said snorting in his direction, "Not that I mind it."

"He looks like one of Hagrid's blast-ended skrewts!" Ron said which made everybody laugh. But Hermione noticed that Ginny, who was sitting beside Hermione, was rigid.

"Gin, are you okay?" Hermione asked, concerned. Ginny turned slowly to face Hermione. Hermione nearly gasped at the look Ginny adorned. She looked extremely stern and her eyes were boring into Hermione's. Ginny continued to stare at Hermione and then she looked somewhere over Harry's shoulder and then back again at Hermione. Hermione followed her line of sight and found that it rested on a seething Draco Malfoy whose glare threatened to burn her and her friends to soot.

"Did _he_ do it?" Ginny asked, her voice barely a whisper. Hermione looked down at her plate –in shame and guilt. She didn't want Ginny to know. A sick masochistic part of Hermione was protecting Draco. She didn't want him to end up in Azkaban like his father. He was better. And if he was destined for Azkaban like his father, Hermione didn't want to be the one signing that fate for him. Before Ginny could ask more, an annoying Parvati and Lavender interrupted them-

"Hi, Ginny, Hermione. What are you guys wearing to the ball?" Lavender asked in her annoying giggly manner. Before either of them could answer, Parvati said, looking around to make sure that as many people possible in the vicinity heard her,

"Well, never mind, I'll tell you what _I'm _wear-Merlin's beard, what on earth is _that?_" Parvati shrieked looking behind Hermione. Hermione and everybody turned follow Parvati's line of sight and found a very demon looking Draco Malfoy's eyes widened with shock and fury because painful blisters were sprouting on his skin.

Big ugly dark blue boils started appearing all over Draco Malfoy's skin, his hand which was holding the pumpkin juice, had frozen mid-way from its journey to Malfoy's mouth to the table. He slowly turned his head to look at the Gryffindor table where he found the bane of his existence smirk at him. How had she spiked his drink? The elves prepared the meals! How- Draco was unable to complete his question when one of the blisters burst painfully making him groan.

"Oh Merlin, you need to go to Madam Pomfrey's immediately, Draco!" Astoria exclaimed. He felt like sneering at her and saying, "_You don't say!"_ but before he could do that, his other blisters started blooming and bursting painfully. Draco stormed out of the Great Hall angrily followed by a worried Astoria.

Hermione reminded herself to thank Dobby, who had helped her get back at Dra-_Malfoy_, with a special knit muffler and lots of candies from Honeydukes. She hummed happily to herself, relishing in the wonderful scene that had unfolded in front of her.

"I wonder who, in Merlin's name, Malfoy pissed off to have something like this happening to him." Lavender said her eyes shining with excitement over the list of suspects who could have taken revenge against Draco Malfoy. Her prime suspect sat on the table pleasantly drinking her tea.

"That was _disgusting_ but I wouldn't mind seeing it again as long as it was Malfoy with whom all this was happening." Harry said. He looked as happy as Hermione felt. Hermione shook her head at him, giving him a sweet smile.

"Say, Hermione do _you_ know anything about this?" Parvati asked following her best friend's lead.

"About what?"Hermione asked, feigning ignorance.

"About, you know...this _whole _thing."

"No, not really. Not even an inkling." Blaise shot her a wicked smile. She winked at him, in response.

"You were dumped by Draco Malfoy and you have every right to be angry at him and you do have the brains to pull all that off." Lavender said surprising Hermione who never knew Lavender had enough brains to figure something like this. Ron shifted in his seat uncomfortably beside her.

"Firstly, I was not _dumped_ by _Malfoy" _Hermione snorted. The girls' eyes shined with knowledge that Hermione was using Draco Malfoy's last name to talk about him. This was a very exciting development for them. "_And_ are you insinuating that _I _have something to with what took place a few moments ago?" She raised an eyebrow giving her contemptuous –I-Can-see-through-your-soul look which made Lavender's confidence falter.

"Well, you _were_ missing from breakfast yesterday and most of lunch." Parvati said at which Lavender nodded furiously. "And so was Draco Malfoy." Hermione's heart plummeted into her stomach; her heart was beating furiously against her chest. Ron beside her stiffened and she could see the colour from Harry's face drain. "And a little birdie told me that they saw you and Draco, approximately at five minutes past seven, together, yesterday morning." The tension in the air was palpable now.

"And let's not forget that Draco Malfoy had brought her to the common room the night before."

"_WHAT?" _Ron glared at her, which only encouraged Lavender and Parvati to continue their prodding.

Hermione was more worried about Ron and Harry knowing that Draco was the guy who had assaulted her rather than Lavender and Parvati knowing Hermione had something to do with Draco Malfoy's unfortunate morning. The excitement that their theory might be correct had led to the duo's eyes shine with an evil gleam while they waited patiently for Hermione, who had gone numb, to answer.

"Harry was missing from breakfast too, yesterday." Ginny said casually, taking a sip from her tea, coming to Hermione's rescue. "They were together at Hagrid's with Neville." Hermione could feel gratitude and love blooming in her heart for Ginny.

At Ginny's comment, Lavender and Parvati exchanged disappointed and annoyed looks. They then looked at Harry, who seemed to have frozen, for confirmation.

"Did I hear my name?" Neville asked before the evil duo could stop to wonder why Harry, Ron and Hermione had gone as rigid as stone.

"Yeah, Ginny here, was just telling Parvati and Lavender, how you, Harry and Hermione were together at Hagrid's yesterday morning, which is why you guys missed breakfast." Blaise said to Neville, who immediately understood what was going on.

"Yeah, we three were at Hagrid's." Neville said casually, as he buttered his scone. "Why? Is something the matter?"

In that moment, Hermione couldn't believe just how lucky she was to be blessed with such good friends. They had stood by her during the ups and downs she faced in her life. But she had failed them. Especially Ron and Harry. She had put _him_ before them. She felt guilt rightfully take over her body.

The dismayed faces of Parvati and Lavender were a confirmation that they had bought the story. Nevertheless, Ginny shot them a sharp glance and said, "Well, as you can _clearly_ see, your little _birdie_ was wrong."

"But-"Lavender began when Parvati nudged her sharply and said, "Yes, yes...we're...sorry Hermione...we...we didn't mean to upset you."

"That's ...okay." Hermione said, awkwardly. The two girls left soon after. Hermione wanted to curse them into oblivion.

"Ron, Harry, I –" Hermione began but Ron raised a hand to stop her, he was breathing heavily, he looked furious. Harry, on the other hand, was still frozen.

"Was- Was she saying-"Ron was red in the face with anger. "Was _he_ the one who did that to you?" His blue eyes were glaring at her. He looked really angry...but more than that...he looked really hurt. Everybody had gone quiet. They were waiting for Hermione to answer.

"Ron, I –"

"Yes or no. It's simple." He said tersely. Hermione hung her head in shame. "_Why_ aren't you saying anything?" Ron said through gritted teeth.

"Yes." She whispered. She heard someone- Harry -inhale sharply.

"_Why_ are you protecting him?" Ron asked, now banging his fist loudly on the table. Hermione jumped at his violent reaction, scared. Thankfully, the hustle bustle and the excitement of Ball later that night drowned the loud bang of his fist.

_Because no one else will!_, Hermione thought, frustrated. But she knew this answer would do nothing but rouse more suspicions.

"I am not...protecting him, Ron. Not...exactly," She said quietly. "I took my revenge on him." She kept her eyes on her hands which lay limply in her lap.

"Those childish stupid pranks?" Harry exclaimed furiously after he recovered from the shock.

"They are not childish stupid pranks. They included burns, bites,-"

"They're _nothing_ compared to what _he_ did to you." Ron said, bitterly. "And why exactly were you with him before breakfast had started? _And _why did he bring you to our common room the night before?" He asked whispering furiously. "Is that...Is that where you went when you stormed off Slughorn's Christmas Party?" Ron asked, his voice barely a whisper. The hurt was apparent in his voice.

"What? _NO!" _Hermione exclaimed. "I- I actually don't remember what happened most of that night. I –I blacked out and I woke up in my bed and Lavender told me that Dr-_Malfoy_ had helped me back to my dorm. And I went to ask him what happened and he –he ..." She was disgusted at the way her voice quivered in the end. "He did _that_ to me." She steeled herself to say.

"Black outs?" Ginny asked, concerned. Ginny was reminded of the black outs she had experiences when she was in First Year when Tom Riddle had possessed her body sporadically. She shuddered at the thought that Hermione might have experienced the same thing.

"Yes..."

"And you don't remember what happened that night?" Harry asked, his eyebrows knitted together in concentration.

"No...I just remember till when we were all deciding on having some punch...after that I don't remember what happened."

Harry and Ron exchanged some serious looks which Hermione couldn't understand. They would tell her later.

"Do you think she might have..." Theo began but Blaise cut him off with a curt "No."

"She might have what?" Ginny asked annoyed that they, like Harry and Ron, were keeping the girls out of the loop.

"Well, it's just an assumption...what if she was obliviated?" Theo said hesitantly.

"Obliviated? By _who_?" Hermione challenged. Nobody needed to answer her question because the answer dawned on them at the same moment : Draco Malfoy.

"But...but why?" Ginny asked.

"Maybe she came to know about something she wasn't supposed to know." Harry said with a determined look on his face. Hermione felt dizzy with all the allegations. She was obliviated? By Draco?

"Like what?"

"Guys? I think we should take this someplace else." Neville's meek voice interrupted them from the trance that held everybody. They all became suddenly aware of their environment. The Great Hall was almost empty now and they could cast the muffliato spell but it could raise a lot of suspicion if all that could be heard was a buzzing voice by people who passed them.

They all dispersed immediately. Hermione, however, was pulled into an alcove by Harry accompanied by Ron, who still seemed upset at Hermione.

"I'm sorry for not telling you guys that it was Malfoy." She said looking at her feet.

"We know you...er...still have a ...soft spot for him...I suppose..." Harry said uncomfortably, glancing at Ron worriedly, who was turning a bit red again, "but next time, don't keep secrets. Not from us, Mione." Harry said to which Hermione nodded earnestly.

"Well, anyway, moving on." Harry began, with a business-like expression on his face, "You clearly don't remember what I told Ron and you that night," He began telling her about Draco Malfoy and the Unbreakable Vow by which he suspected Snape and Malfoy were bound with. Hermione knew what Harry was going to say. Draco Malfoy is a Death Eater. And truth was, after yesterday's incident, Hermione didn't know _**who**_ Draco Malfoy was anymore. Whoever Draco had become was not the Draco she knew. And could the new vile Draco stoop so low as to have taken the Dark Mark? Well, he _did_ try to rape her. So Hermione pushed her emotions for Draco aside, mustering all her courage, she said, "I think you might be right this time, Harry."

Harry and Ron looked quite astonished at Hermione's reply. They were prepared for her denial in this matter. The three friends huddled closer to discuss what they should do next and what exactly Draco Malfoy's mission was.

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**A/N- hi! I'm not very happy with this chapter. I suppose. So my exams, which are kind of like Pre-NEWTs, are beginning tomorrow. I've got English tomorrow so I decided to make a quick update. I know, I know, Hermione's means of getting back at Draco were quite childish but I didn't know anyway else to take revenge on him. Well, if you have any suggestions about how to better the plot, DO NOT HESITATE, DAMMIT. TELL ME! OKAY? I will appreciate it. I love Ron and Hermione together. They're such sweets. But I am pathetically in love with Draco so...-_-' sorry, Ron! Btw, I am torn between giving this story a sad ending and a happy ending. What do you guys want?**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter-8

Draco Malfoy sat on the settee in his room, a glass of Firewhiskey in his left hand, while his right hand played with his wand. He stared off into space recalling the Winter Ball which had taken place last Monday. How beautiful Hermione had looked with her red dress. She looked just the way he wanted his pure-blooded wife to look like. He took a swig of the Firewhiskey angrily when he was reminded of the possessive hand wrapped around Hermione's waist belonged to that fucking Weasel. Hermione would be his' in the end anyway, Draco said to himself. _Soon._ He smirked at the thought. _Patience is a virtue, _he reminded himself.

He would kill that pathetic Weasel soon. Jealousy ignited his whole body with an unbearable fire. He hated the thought of his Hermione smiling and giggling and dancing with somebody so poor and disgusting like him. He wondered what the fuck she must be doing right now with that pathetic Weasel. He knew she was at the pathetic excuse for a home- _Burrow_, with all those rotten scarlet swine. He rested his head against the cushions and closed his eyes letting his mind wander to that night.

_He reminisced how soft her skin felt when he managed to pull her into an alcove by her hand. He grinned at how she had stabbed his neck with her wand. She wasn't so vulnerable and careless anymore. His face was still a little pink, he used several Dark Magic spells to reduce it to that level, and his feet were completely healed too. After Madam Pomfrey proved to be useless, he had gone into his room and started using Dark Magic Healing spells and potions which accelerated the healing process from days, which was what Pomfrey the oaf had been suggesting, to a matter of hours. He was good as new. Well, almost._

"_Whoa, calm down princess." He smirked at her which seemed to infuriate her further. _

"_You tried to rape me, Malfoy." She spit bitterly at him. He didn't appreciate the tone of her voice or the way she was using his last name like he was a stranger. He was her Draco. She was his Hermione. Why was she being so damn distant and infuriating? "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." She said stabbing the wand into his neck deeper when he tried to come closer to her._

"_That's a pretty muggle saying." He said giving her his sincere smile. _

"_What the fuck do you want?" She snarled. He wanted to give her a good shake for speaking like that to him._

"_You." He simply stated._

"_Well, tough luck. You are never going to have me, Malfoy." He could see the evil satisfactory gleam shining in her eyes when she said the next words, "I see you managed to undo the hexes. Pity, really. The blisters and the colour really suited you. You were as ugly outside as you are inside."_

_He smirked at her silly, juvenile comment. "Easier to resist the ugly guy, isn't it? Finding too hard to resist me now? Do you want me to finish what I started yesterday?" He let out a deep evil chuckle when she winced at his question. "Funny how you fucking use the word rape for what I did yesterday, because I don't see anything less than physical assault when fucking Weasel touches you." He growled. He had expected her to grow extremely angry but instead, her features softened and she graced a very un-Hermione like smile. It made Draco's insides grow a little warm. Was she smiling at him? Highly unlikely. But she looked so...beautiful with that smile._

"_When he touches me, Draco." She said softly, her wand not stabbing painfully into his throat anymore, "He makes me forget what you did. What you made me feel. You made me feel filthy!" She snarled at him stabbing the wand into his throat again, he could see her fighting her tears back. He made her feel filthy? And fucking wea- _

"_What you did to me yesterday..." her throat constricted at the painful memory. She removed her wand from his throat. He was going to seize the opportunity to pull her against him to make her stop spouting nonsense when he felt the body binding curse on him. She held his wand in her other hand. He hadn't even seen her make her move. She was getting cleverer. She was the brightest witch after all, he chuckled. He wondered what she was going to do with him. Kinky thoughts clouded his judgement and he didn't see the absolute agony playing on Hermione's face._

"_Listen to me you asshole. I want you to listen to every word I say. I want you to look at me when I tell you how I felt when you were taking your fun with me." She said catching his face in her hands forcefully. She had his attention now, she thought._

"_When you...when you bit into me like some animal, I felt the same fucking pain you must have felt when those Biting Blithering Slippers bit into your flesh." She growled angrily. "And wherever you touched me it felt like I was getting burnt." He was clearly disturbed by the images she was painting. "The scalding red velvet rain was you crushing my body like some- some fucking animal, you didn't even notice me crying and sobbing! And red was the colour of my shame. And- and those painful blisters were what I –I experienced when –when you were –" She ran her frantic fingers over her face and chest. Tears were streaming down her face. When he was kissing her all over –he got the message. When she released him from the Body Binding Curse he said, _

"_For what it's worth, I'm sorry." She had her back to her, trying to rein in her tears. She turned to face him with her red-rimmed eyes giving him a vacant and un-Hermione like expression. It was so cold and distant. It wasn't warm. And Hermione was always warm._

"_It's worthless. Like you." She spat, as she threw his wand at his feet. _

"_Why won't you love me?" He asked, desperate for her warm eyes and witty repartees. _

"_Because you're dead." She said flatly. "You're not Draco. You're just an angry ghost of his former self. And it is unhealthy to indulge in necrophilia."_

"_You don't need to. I'm here, Hermione. It's still me." He said, getting a little angry that she wouldn't believe him and very desperate to seek her approval. "I'm still me! Fucking hell, why won't you just come back?"_

"_Come back where?"She asked softly. She was frowning, her eyebrows knit in confusion and annoyance, Draco noticed. "You tried to fucking rape me, Malfoy. And I will never forgive you for that because I know you are not truly sorry. This is goodbye forever."_

"_Fucking hell, not the fucking bullshit again!" He screamed as he advanced towards her. But Hermione had already cast a nonverbal shield preventing him from coming over. He tried to break the shield with a few spells but it wouldn't work. The shield was strong. She was strong. How did she get so strong overnight?_

"_Let me in." He said, banging his fist on the wall. She shook her head, no. "Love me, and I'll be good." He said desperately. He just needed her affection, her embrace, her reassurance, "Love me, be with me and I'll be good." He didn't even notice the tears streaming down his face, he was so desperate. The sight threatened to break Hermione's heart but she quickly pushed the thoughts away, admonishing herself for entertaining the thought of letting him in...of holding him...of believing him. He was a monster. And he had shown her his crocodile tears several times in the past. So she steeled herself and shook her head again._

"_Why won't you fucking let me in!?" He started screaming angrily, punching furiously at the invisible shield, scaring Hermione. She saw him take his wand and mutter some spells furiously and in half a minute her shield was rendered useless, she cast a stunning spell at him, which he deflected swiftly. He was pink in the face; his jaw set tightly, his grey eyes stormy. He covered the distance between them in a few long strides._

"_You may be strong." He breathed on her face. "But I am stronger." _

_He hated the palpable fear that emanated from her, the way she winced at the closeness. What had he done? He quickly moved away, feeling guilty._

"_I'm really sorry." He said quietly. His eyes focused on the floor. "I just wanted you to love me." _

_He didn't see the curt not she gave him in response before scurrying away. _

Draco felt a pang of guilt cripple him for a second before he recovered. What Hermione hadn't realized was that his apology was not only for what he had but also for what he was about to do. He knew she would hate him for that. But that would pass. And everything will be fine.

"Draco?" A voice snapped him out of his fantasies. He saw his mother's concerned eyes zooming in on him.

"Yes?"

"Your Aunt Bella is here." She said coming in and closing the door. He knew she wanted to talk to him about the bargain he had made with the Dark Lord because of the look his mother adorned and also because she had come to fetch him herself and didn't send a house elf to do her bidding. He noticed how tired and aged his mother looked. There were dark circles under her eyes which his mother hadn't even bothered to hide with magic. She took a seat next to him and ran her fingers through his hair softly. He leaned into her touch.

"Draco, are you sure –about all that you're doing?" His mother asked hesitantly.

"Yes." He said. And there was no more to add because his Aunt Bellatrix was becoming restless seeing as loud booms and cackling laughter could be heard downstairs. His mother let out an audible sigh and snatched her hand back. She effectively put her mask of indifference back and left the room, but not before casting another furtive glance at him.

He hated it when his mother worried. There was no reason to worry. Even though father had failed, he would take care of her. He would take care of them all.

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"Hey, Hermione! How were your holidays?" Someone asked her. She turned to find Neville Longbottom.

"They were amazing. I and Harry were at the Burrow with the Weaselys. We had a lot of fun!" Hermione said grinning, looping her arm with Neville's as they headed towards the Great Hall for breakfast.

"That –That sounds fun compared to my vacation. My Gran made me sit with all her senile friends and I had to hear them shun Herbology and tell me it's for sissies. She doesn't approve of me taking the subject." Neville sighed. Hermione was way too happy to feel bad about anything at the moment so she just nodded understandingly at him.

Her winter vacation had been truly splendid. _Ron_ had been truly splendid. Hermione blushed deeply at the thoughts which were entering her head. They were entering The Great Hall so she shunned these thoughts immediately but she couldn't help the small smile that creeped up on her face.

She headed to the Gryffindor Table and sat next Ron who gave her a small peck on the cheek making her blush profusely. He started piling his plate with food. Hermione shook her head, smiling at her lover who was so enthusiastic about food.

"You look really different, Hermione. Very happy." Someone –Luna, commented dreamily. Hermione hadn't noticed the Ravenclaw girl sitting next to Harry, opposite Ron and herself, she was just so happy. She wanted to hold on to this feeling forever. She reminded herself that from now on Luna would be sitting on their table, well, most of the time, at least. She and Harry were dating. Hermione blushed at the comment and feigned nonchalance, giving a polite 'Really?' and before Luna could ask more, Hermione started filling her plate with food when Ron said,

"Oh, wait, take this." Ron handed her the plate she thought he had been piling with food for himself. Hermione couldn't help but feel her heart warm at the sweet gesture but she also couldn't help exclaim, "Oh Godric, Ron! I can't eat all that."

"Well, you should. Here-" He took a scone off of her plate. "I'll help you." He started eating off of her plate. Hermione just watched with awe in her eyes. She secretly loved it when Ron did things like this. Show affection and concern over her without exclusively trying to. She absently picked up a pie to nibble on it when Ron snatched it from her hand. Shocked, she turned to him for an explanation, "Don't eat that, it's got peanuts in it...you're allergic, right?"

Hermione looked at him, surprised. How did he know? "How do you know?" She asked and immediately regretted her question because of the apparent discomfort with which Ron said,

"Uh, I brought you a Peanut-Buttered English muffin once and ...uh...someone said you were allergic." Ron added the last part quickly. Hermione nodded eager as he was to chuck the subject. She knew he was talking of Draco_._

_She had taken ill with a slight fever and Draco_ _and had come to visit her. They were having tea together –well, more like pelting each other with bits of bread, when an enthusiastic Ronald Weasely barged in. Taking in the scene, taking in Draco's presence, Ron's face had dropped immediately and he had become as sullen as Draco looked. Hermione and Draco had not been dating at the time. They were still...friends._

"_Hi, Ron!" Hermione said happily as she got up to greet her friend._

"_Hey, 'Mione..." Ron said hugging her. "Malfoy." He said stiffly to which Draco responded with a curt nod."I –I came to see you. Well, mum asked me to, not –not that I didn't want to." Ron spluttered. Hermione saw Draco huff and roll his eyes from the corner of her eye. "Mum said you'd taken ill and she wanted me to bring you this." Ron said handing her a brown packet. "They're Peanut Buttered Muffins..."_

_Hermione, who was deeply touched by his gesture didn't want it to go to waste so she accepted the food and thanked him._

"_Do you want to join us for tea?"Hermione asked, already pulling out a chair for him. He seemed hesitant and looked like he was going to reject when he surprised her by saying, _

"_Sure, why not?"_

"_Wanna eat these muffins now?" Ron asked, eagerly. _

"_She can't eat those muffins, you dolt. She's allergic to peanuts." Draco had drawled. He looked extremely annoyed. Ron's ears had gone red. Hermione, on the other hand, was surprised that Draco knew something so intimate about her after knowing her only for a few weeks. Needless to say, the boys got into a huge row with the use of some colourful words put to good use by both the parties._

_Ron had stormed off angrily leaving a miffed Hermione and a very calm Draco Malfoy. He had refused to leave. He sat there, sipping his tea and nibbling on a scone while Hermione huffed and refused to speak with him. When her anger subsided and curiosity got the better of her, she couldn't help but ask him how he knew about her being allergic to peanuts._

_He just shrugged and said, "I remember your mother mentioning it once when she was showing me your childhood pictures. You were taken to a Healer because you had accidently eaten something with peanuts."_

_That day, Hermione couldn't help the awe and ...well, a foreign ineffable feeling seep into her. She forgot that she was angry at him. She smiled sheepishly and thanked him. He had merely shrugged in response and they had returned to their childish antics of mocking each other. Hermione, however, didn't fail to notice that whenever they had gone out to eat after that incident, he would transfer all his cherries from his cake onto hers because he knew she loved them. He'd secretly take the broccoli from her plate when they'd be dining at her house, because she hated it and her mother didn't allow her to throw it. When he would do small things like these, she couldn't help the affection that swelled in her heart for him. He was just so easy to love._

Hermione knew she was slowly but steadily falling in love with Ron who, more or less, was reciprocating the same feelings. And although it was too early for her to say she was in love she realized she didn't mind waiting for it patiently and relishing each moment. But deep inside her heart, she knew that a shard of her heart will always be reserved for her first love, Draco, who was compelled to morph into a monster.

She will always love the boy who from the before. The boy who gave up all of the cherries on his cake for her and ate her broccoli had now become something evil and monstrous.Hermione shook her head sadly. That boy was gone. And although these thoughts left a terrible, incurable ache in her heart, which, she knew could never fully heal, she was moving towards acceptance. She had crossed the first stage of denial, then came acceptance and then... well, Hermione hadn't figured out beyond that. For now, she would focus on the accepting part.

After all, one can never stop loving someone. A hierarchy exists according to which we love people. Some a little less, some a little more. But nevertheless, love them we always do and always will.

"D'you know Malfoy's quit Quidditch?" Harry said giving a meaningful look to Hermione and Ron.

"Right before the Slytherin and Gryffindor match?" Ginny asked, looking curious. Harry nodded.

"Better for us, I guess. Not that he could ever beat you, though." She passed Harry a grin, who graciously returned it. Dra- _Malfoy_ had quit Quidditch? But he loved it so much. Why would he do that? Hermione asked herself, nibbling on her lower lip.

"Well, I should get going!" Hermione said gathering her thoughts and bag.

"Go _where?_" Ron asked, scowling.

"I need to go to the Library. Theo asked me to meet him there after breakfast." Hermione said, gathering her books.

"D- D'you wann me to come?" Ron asked. Hermione shook her head and headed outside the door. As Hermione entered the Library, she saw Theo and ... Draco talking about something. Theo looked extremely agitated. It looked like they were having an altercation. When they saw her approaching, they immediately stopped talking. Draco had gone rigid. She could feel his eyes searching for hers and she was determined to avoid them. Not after she strongly suspected him of being a Death Eater.

"Hey, Mione." Theo said, still scowling. Hermione nodded at him, frowning. Her eyes flitted from Theo to Draco.

"Everything... Okay?" Hermione asked, unsure. Theo nodded, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Hello...Hermione." Draco said. She nodded at him, her eyes fixed on the floor. "You look...well." She shifted her weight from one leg to another, uncomfortably. She couldn't help but be reminded of the night of the Ball. His pleads echoed in her head, '_Love me and I'll be good.'_ Hermione's heart ached terribly at the memory.

"Well, I'll get going, then." Draco announced after a few moments of awkwardness. "Theo. Hermione." Hermione was reminded of what Harry had said earlier about D-_Malfoy_. This was the opportunity to get some answers.

"Wait here." Hermione told Theo as she ran after Draco. She caught him right outside the library.

"Wait." She called. He immediately halted and turned around the face the bushy Gryffindor eyeing him warily.

"Y-You quit Quidditch. Why?" She asked. Draco raised a blond eyebrow. She _knew_? Why was she asking him that question?

"No special reason." He said nonchalantly taking in her expression, trying to read her to no avail. "Did you know Snitches have flesh memories?"

"Yes...why?"

"No reason." He said, before walking off to where he was going leaving Hermione to stare after him. When Hermione returned moments later to an exasperated Theo she was greeted by a rather rude, "What the hell was that?"

"_I _could ask you the same thing." She challenged.

"Touché." He said, eyeing her curiously.

"What did you want to talk about?"

"Uh...nothing."

"Wait –what? But yo-"

"Let's go...Or we'll be late for our classes." Theo said, pulling her by her hand.

"What were you and Dr-_Malfoy_ talking about anyway?" She asked, increasingly annoyed that Theo was not telling her. "And why –why are you in such a hurry?" She asked Theo, who was almost running towards their Potions class.

"Its –its nothing 'Mione. Don't worry about it. I –I just don't want to be late."

"Whatever you say Theo..." Hermione said sceptically. She knew there was no use of asking Theo about the conversation he and Dr-Malfoy were having because it would be fruitless. Theo was just as stubborn as she was. What were they talking about so furiously? And why was Theo not telling her about it? She wondered if she should tell Ron and Harry about it. She decided against it, as she sped after Theo.

Today had started as a good day and Hermione wanted to hold on to it for she feared that it would be snatched away from her soon like all things that made her happy. If only she knew how right she was. But no preparation on her or her friends' part could prepare them for the storm that was coming for them. Utter chaos was spelled out for them.

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"A _Horcrux?" _Hermione asked, her nose scrunched up in concentration, her eyebrows knit together in confusion, all the while she searched for the word in her mental thesaurus and came up with no results.

"Yeah...Dumbledore asked me to get information from Slughorn about it and I did..." He looked far from happy from his accomplishment.

"Well, what _is _it?" Hermione asked, eagerly. Her insatiable curiosity was making her impatient. ron beside her, looked as eager and impatient as her. But he also adorned a fearful look which Hermione couldn't understand. Harry merely sighed and shook his head,

"I don't know...I'm going to Dumbledore to find about the same." He said showing them the vial which contained Slughorn's memory. "Wish me luck." He looked really nervous.

"Don't you worry, mate. Everything will be...er...fine..." Ron said, awkwardly. His words, highly unconvincing. Hermione looked at the scene sceptically, deciding on what to say.

"We'll be waiting for you when you come back." Hermione smiled at her best friend, giving him a tight comforting hug which seemed to make him feel a little better. He managed a wry smile at them before leaving his two anxious best friends.

"What do you reckon it'll be?" Ron asked Hermione looking visibly worried.

"I don't know. I did try-" She stopped immediately and Ron turned to see why. They were no longer alone in the common room. Ginny walked in the common room looking visibly upset,

"Hey, Gin...you okay?" Hermione asked, approaching her. Ginny's eyes were rimmed with red and she just mumbled a quick, "Yeah. I'm 'kay "

But Hermione wasn't going to let it go. It wasn't okay. Ginny had been looking upset for the past few days and she wouldn't confide in Hermione. Hermione initially thought that it was just Ginny being moody but things were apparently much more different and serious than Ginny was letting on. She had wondered if it was something relating to Theo but she could somehow never grasp an opportunity to ask him anything privately. Whenever they met, it was always either with the whole group or in class, where Hermione couldn't ask him anything. He seemed to be determined to avoid her.

"No, it's not okay, Gin." Hermione said softly. Ginny's eyes flitted to Hermione's face and then over to Hermione's shoulder – to Ron.

"It's nothing...just Theo..." She said in a whisper, before scurrying off before Hermione could do anything. Now that Hermione's doubts about the whole ordeal being about Theo were confirmed she wanted to do nothing but run after Ginny. But she was interrupted by her boyfriend -

"What was that about?" Ron asked, looking really annoyed. "If that git Theo did s-"

"How do you even know what she said to me? You always assume the worst!" Hermione asked, exasperated. She knew she had no right saying that but somewhere she felt that it was wrong to assume it was Theo's fault without knowing the whole thing. And also because...she just _had_ to defend him. She didn't want Ron to go all 'I told you so' on her because it was unfair and highly prejudiced. Everybody had problems in their relationships. Theo's flaws shouldn't be blamed on his Death Eater father.

"I am right though, aren't I?" Ron challenged her, his ears going really red. Hermione gritted her teeth angrily before huffing.

"Yeah. You're right." She said grudgingly. "But I don't know the '_what_' and the '_why'._" She said crossing her arms across her chest, glaring at the fire.

"I told you so. Now no –no, don't give me that look! I saw them arguing yesterday and the day before that! I knew he wasn't right for her." Ron said clenching his fists tightly.

"Ron, you have to get over his past." Hermione said indignantly, though her voice was low and threatening.

"Have _you_ gotten over _yours_?"

Ron's question made Hermione's head snap up in shock, fury and hurt.

"What the hell is _that_ supposed to mean?" She was seconds away from screeching and chewing his head off. Her hand itched to reach for her wand and hex for asking something like that. She felt insulted but she didn't know why she was so angry, but she was. Ron sighed before answering. It looked _he_ was trying to rein in his emotions. _Huh, the irony_, Hermione thought.

"Why didn't you complain what that _ferret_ did to McGonagall or Dumbledore?" Ron asked, his blue eyes penetrating into Hermione's brown ones. Hermione looked away uncomfortably. She struggled to find an appropriate answer. She **had**__answers but none that would satisfy Ron or improve the situation. She heard Ron sigh again, "I –I didn't _want_ to ask you this. I didn't _want_ this uncomfortable silence to descend but I knew _I had to_. I –I didn't want to be a coward. Not anymore."

"Ron, I –I don't know what to –to say..." Hermione said, her heart plummeting in her stomach.

"I just need the truth, Hermione."

The truth? Could he handle it? She was just falling in love with him...she didn't want to tell him the truth. She didn't want him to leave. She wanted him to stay –forever. And the truth will not let that happen. The truth always destroys things. She prepared herself to lie when abruptly stopped herself. No, Ron deserved the truth. And she would not disrespect him by lying to him. Not after all that he had done for. That would not only be disrespectful to him but also the memories they had created and the memories she cherished so deeply.

"Ron, I –I didn't want dr- _Him_ to go to Azkaban," She began hesitantly, stealing a glance at Ron's face which showed confusion and worry and...hurt. But he didn't do anything. He was waiting for her to continue...and so she did. "I –I know it sounds p-pathetic and, and weak but its, it is the truth. I didn't want him to end up like his father. He –he can be better." Ron, who looked really hurt and angry was about to interrupt when she quickly added, "No, no, listen to me Ron. I know how you think of him and your thoughts are completely justified. But...but, Ron...He..."

"He _what_ Hermione?" She wondered why he wanted to hear in the first place. She searched for a reason in his eyes but apart from the striking clear blue, she could find no reasonable reason to put himself through such torture.

"It doesn't matter anymore, Ron. I –I ju-"

"No. It matters to _me_, 'Mione. _I_ want to know!" He shouted making Hermione wince. "So tell me, _please_." He begged, his voice no louder than a whisper now. She looked at his eyes which were filled with blue –the colour of the sorrow and pain Hermione was going to add in his eyes.

She sighed and said, "He's my first love, Ron. I care about him. I always will. What he did was inexcusable and...and monstrous. But I took my revenge on him and he's more broken than ever. _He's _digging his own grave. I –I don't love the person he is _now_, I know you'll always think of him as the ferret but he was more to me." Ron looked away upset. Hermione put her hand on the side of his face and made him look at her. "_**Was**_. I said, he _was_ more to me. I loved the Draco who wasn't this evil git who –who could something so foul" Ron snorted her comment. Hermione ignored it and continued undeterred, "As –as what he did. He changed. People change all the time. And for _that _Draco's sake, I pardoned him. Well, not exactly. You _did _say he looked like a Blast- Ended Skrewt." Hermione let out a chuckle, which sounded rather sad to her ears, at the memory.

"Do...D'you still love him?" Ron asked, hesitantly. Hermione sighed. _Acceptance, _she told herself. She had accepted her love for Draco would never completely ebb away and she knew Ron had to accept it too.

"Yes. A part of me does...and always will, I think. But it's a small part but I don't think I'll ever want him. Ever." Hermione said adorning a faraway look in her eyes which reflected the fire she was intently staring at.

"But...you still love him." Ron mumbled, looking really upset. Hermione couldn't help but smile at the adorable, sweet expression Ron adorned unknowingly. She took his hand in hers and said,

"Not the person he's become. I loved the person he _was_. Just like _you'll_ always keep an eye out for Madam Rosmerta!" Hermione teased. Ron grew scarlet and blinked several times in embarrassment at having been called out on his ogling.

"I –I have _never_-" He began when Hermione rolled her eyes and said, "Oh, save it Ron. I think we all can establish that you had a huge crush on Madam Rosmerta."

"No, I did not. I- " Ron's voice was cut off by a huge shriek coming from outside. Hermione and Ron exchanged a horrified look and ventured to find that the Fat Lady was crying and waling –and so were the other paintings!

"_Bloody hell!_ What the eff is wrong?" Ron asked, annoyed. Hermione felt unnerved and dizzy with all the wailing.

"What's _wrong?"_ She asked, firmly to which the sobbing lady replied – "Dumbledore...He –he's dead." She said before breaking into a fresh batch of tears.

For exactly twenty seconds, Ron and Hermione had frozen in place. Then very slowly, as reason and comprehension sunk into them, they faced each other for confirmation. Yes, they _had_ heard that. _Oh, no, HARRY! Was __**he**__ okay? _The thought seemed to have struck them together and suddenly, with no verbal or any other exchange they found themselves running. Their feet soon found their way to the outside where hoards of students were already present along with the teachers. Hermione's found their way to a crouched figure- Harry, leaning over Dumbledore. Ginny was beside him, holding him while he sobbed into her shoulder. Tears poured down Hermione's eyes. They were so happy a moment ago. A moment ago everything was almost okay. And now, the greatest wizard of all time, their principal and Harry's mentor and father figure was...dead.

They all raised their wands, for the Greatest Wizard of all time- who seemed to be lost in a deep slumber because he adorned a serene look – burning a hole through the ugly Dark Mark, if only for a short time.

Hermione, Ron and several others made their way to the Hospital wing on Professor McGonagall's orders and also because they heard the news that Ron's brother, Bill, was severely injured by the fearsome and loathsome Fenrir Greyback. As they passed the corridor, Hermione knew she saw the unmistakable flash of blond hair. Hermione froze.

"I –I'll be right back." Hermione said to Ron who only nodded in response. He looked absolutely crestfallen. She made her way to the place where she thought she had seen him. There was nobo-

"Ouch!" She exclaimed as she felt her back being slammed against the wall. She didn't have time to raise her wand as it was already snatched by her attacker –Draco Malfoy. He was mercifully standing a few feet from her but still towering over her in an intimidating manner nonetheless. "Dumbledore's dead. Did you have anything to do with it?"

"What the _fuck_ are you still doing here?" He snarled at her making her flinch. Shouldn't _she_ be asking him that? Wait, what the hell did he mean by _still_?

"What the hell does that mean?"

"Snitches. Have. Flesh. Memories." He said tersely.

"_SO?"_

"Brightest Witch of our age, right? _Figure it out._" He said angrily shoving her wand in her hand before disappeared in the darkness of the corridor. As she made her way sluggishly to the Infirmary, she tried to comprehend Draco's words. Snitches have flesh memories. So? Was that some secret clue to which Hermione had to know an answer of? She hated Quidditch. How was she supposed to figure it out? She didn't – Snitches. The Snitch Necklace, of course! Hermione ran to her dorm and started throwing all her clothes from her trunk as she searched frantically for the necklace which lay snugly at the bottom of the trunk.

She took the velvet sheathed box and opened it to reveal the most beautiful golden snitch necklace. _Snitches have flesh memories, _Draco's voice echoed in her mind. She took the snitch and rolled it in her palms and –nothing happened. She rolled it on her neck feeling a bit foolish when again nothing happened. What if it opened at D-Malfoy's touch and the stupid oaf forgot about it? But she remembered he had worn gloves when he had presented her with the snitch. Weird how she didn't question him wearing gloves when the weather wasn't that cold. She was then reminded of the feeble excuse Draco had given of catching a cold... She turned her attention to the snitch.

_Where had the snitch come into contact with her skin at first? _She closed her eyes and replayed the scene which took place many months ago in her mind. Her eyes snapped open –Draco had put it on her neck for her. So...her neck? She felt highly self-conscious, even though she was alone in the dorm, and stupid as she took the snitch and rolled it on her collarbones and the back of her neck. She jumped at the sudden flutter of the wings of the Snitch against her neck.

As the wings opened something appeared "_Lors de votre séjour. les démons sont aux abois._" It read. _When you stay, the demons are at bay_. The words tugged at Hermione's heart but she ignored at as she continued to examine the necklace with great interest all the while wondering what it must contain. She wondered if it were a trick of some kind. But it couldn't be...they were not even seriously dating at the time for him to do anything...But it was better to be safe than sorry. When the snitch opened up, a hole in the middle, Hermione pointed her wand at it, levitating it and shaking it so that whatever it held would drop on her bed. She immediately moved a few feet away, her wand pointed at the foreign object. It was smaller than the Snitch, wrapped in something – a satin cloth.

She approached it warily, and tried various spells to see if it is cursed. Convinced it wasn't she took the object in her palm and pulled at the end, revealing a small black square object. She saw that something was sewn into the Satin Cloth. _Pour coudre rêves sur quelque chose de plus concret que sewing dreams on something more concrete than Sati,_ it said? Hermione absently ghosted her fingers across the box wondering what it meant and suddenly she felt herself being sucked into something. Her whole body was convulsing, shaking crazily, whirling. That only meant one thing- travelling through a Portkey.

She found herself being thrown on something hard. She looked up, her eyes filled with fear at the surroundings. Three words kept ringing in her ear-

_The Malfoy Manor. _

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**A/N- Hello! I'm back again! :D :D My exams just got over. I did okay-okay in them, not that you asked or wanted to know. :P But I wanted to tell. I hope you liked this chapter. I made it extra long! What did you think about the ending? :D TELL. ME. ALL. ABOUT IT. REVIEW. YOUR REVIEWS MAKE ME WANT TO UPDATE FASTER! SO PLEASE REVIEW! I'll update faster now that exams are over. Gee, if you guys have ANY SUGGESTIONS don't hesitate to give them to me! I'd love to hear about what you think about the story and how you'd like it to go/what you're expecting, yada, yada, yada! Also, VAMPIRE DIARIES RESUMES TODAY! I LOVE, LOVE JOSEPH MORGAN. He. Is. So. Hot! I have to wait for a time longer than the western countries to watch it online. I have to wait for it to upload. -_-"**

**Anyway, don't forget to review! :D **


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

A dazed Hermione immediately regained her senses, she reached for her wand which lay a few feet to her left but was surprised to have it knocked off into someone's hand. Pepper. Draco's personal elf.

"Pep-Pepper? What- what are you doing?" Hermione said eyeing the elf, who looked near tears, warily. "Give me my wand back!" Hermione demanded indignantly, as she walked towards the house elf, who was immediately backing away.

"Miss has to forgive Pepper. Master Draco told to take care of Miss Hermione. Miss is not to have wand anymore. Miss must forgive Pepper. Pepper is only following orders." Pepper said, her voice trembling a bit. Hermione's features softened when she realized how hard it must be for Pepper to do this.

"Pepper," She said softly, "You don't _have_ to do this. You can tell him you missed me. It could all work out. P-Please Pepper, I –I don't want to stay here." She said approaching the elf carefully. Pepper eyed Hermione suspiciously before shaking her head furiously,

"Pepper cannot do that. Master Draco will be angry. And he has been always so kind to me. Miss must forgive Pepper. Pepper has no choice." Pepper said, with a determined look on her face which told Hermione what she was about to do next.

"No!" Hermione launched herself towards the elf, but all she caught was wisps of air –the elf had disapparated. Hermione lay on the ground, willing it to swallow her up. She was burning and hurting with humiliation and hurt. What the hell had she dragged herself in? What would Ron think? Oh Merlin! He'd be so worried...and his brother Bill was injured too... Oh no. _Dumbledore died! _Everybody was already so devastated and she had gone up and ended up in this stupid mess. How could she be so naive? Why was she always so stupid when it came to _him?_ Hermione shook her head , no, this wasn't the time to curse herself. She had all her life for it –if she lived, that is. For now, she had to figure out a way to escape from this hellhole.

Wandless Magic – was the answer she found. She knew Wandless Magic. But what could she do with it? She couldn't apparate out of this hellhole because she knew the Manor was ensconced in Wards –one of them which prevented people from apparating out of the Manor or inside the Manor. So she concluded, Pepper had not left the Manor.

She started inspecting the whole place. The windows would open, she could feel the wind kissing her face, but she couldn't venture forth. She tried throwing stuff outside but it bounced back. Nothing can go outside. She tried opening the doors to other rooms but found them to be locked safely with Charms. The bathroom door opened to give way to a spacious well lighted bathroom. Hermione tried to look for something sharp, but at the sound of a Pop! She froze on the spot.

"Ah, here you are!" Said a very pleasant voice belonging to a very smug Draco Malfoy. Hermione turned slowly, before coming completely face-to-face with her kidnapper.

"_You!"_ She accused, waving her finger at him. "Get me out of here!" She screamed at him. His expression immediately darkened. His narrow eyes were zooming in on her as he said icily,

"This is your home now, Hermione. There is no going back."

"Have you completely lost your mind, you _dolt_? How the hell do you expect me to accept this hellhole has my home?" She screamed, throwing one of the photos displayed on the bed stand at him –which he dodged easily. He just _rolled _his eyes at her while she eyed him warily, trying to fathom how the hell he expected this to work. She would fight as long as she was alive. She might not be able to disappa- Her eyes snapped up to his'.

"Where are you coming from?" She asked him, her eyes scanning his whole being. A sheen of dust seemed to have found home on Draco's shoulders and parts of his robes, and a little on his hair and face.

"From Hogwarts; Hogsmeade, actually." He said nonchalantly, as he made his way back into the room. Hermione, for the first time, realized how big Malfoy's room was. It looked like it had undergone conditioning by enlargement Charms. The silver settee placed near the fireplace was the same, she noticed, but the bed had been enlarged, the wallpaper changed into something brighter than it was, and the sconces hanging in the room had been changed too.

"From Hogsmeade directly?" She asked trying not to rouse his suspicions. He stopped in his tracks to scrutinize her face, "Yes." He said, trying to search for some answers in her brown eyes which were busy scanning the whole room.

Hermione tried her hardest not to show her relief and surprise at that because his answer meant only one thing. The Wards on the Malfoy Manor had been removed –or at least the Anti-Disapparating Charm had been removed, for Godric knows what reason, but Hermione didn't care because that meant that she could try and apparate –even though she hadn't done that before without a wand. She crouched down and pretended to look at the picture she had thrown at Malfoy. It was a picture of her and Malfoy, where she was laughing at something Malfoy was whispering in her ear, that summer day. She could feel Malfoy behind her; feel his breath fanning over her shoulder.

She just had to wait for him to leave so that she could disapparate and he wouldn't be there to stop her.

"We were so happy, back then." Malfoy's voice, sounded right by her ear making her uncomfortable.

"_Were._" She emphasized, as she got up to pace around the room, "Why are you doing this," She hesitated but added, "Draco? I –I don't want to be here. Everybody must be so worried. What the hell is wrong with you to do something so –so twisted like kidnapping me?"

"I want to keep you safe."

"From _who?_" She didn't wait for him to answer. "How _long_ have you been planning this? You –you gave me this necklace in Summer... You –" Her eyes widened with horror as she backed away and hit the edge of the bed post, which startled her. "How _long_ have you been a Death Eater, you foul lying git?" Her heart was hammering against her chest. Disbelief and horror swam in her cinnamon eyes when Draco looked away looking slightly abashed.

"Does it matter? You're here now, in one piece. And I'm here now. _We_'re here now." He said moving towards her, trying to reassure and calm her. "We could be hap-"

"Don't say it, Malfoy. If –if you value my sanity, you won't say that. I –I can't be with you!" She said throwing her arms up in frustration before placing them across her chest tightly. "I can _never_ be with you. I am with Ron!" She screamed at him. His face darkened and in an instant she found herself trapped effectively between him and the bedpost.

"Don't _ever_ take his name!" He growled at her, making her shudder a little.

"I –I lo-"

"**Enough!**" He snarled angrily. "Don't even _dare_ finish that, 'Mione." He breathed heavily. He leaned his forehead against hers; he looked like he was trying to rein his temper in. "Don't say that." He whispered softly now. Hermione's blood had turned cold from fear and the memories which she was plunged into. That fateful cold December morning burned into her memory and she pushed him away angrily.

"If you want to save me. You should start with saving me from yourself." She said coldly as she walked to the bathroom and slammed the door behind her leaving an angrily heaving Draco Malfoy. Once inside the bathroom, she waited to see if Draco would try to follow her in. But since he didn't, she focused all her energy on Disapparating.

_Concentrate Hermione, concentrate,_ she told herself. _The Three_ _D's: Destination, Determination and Deliberation,_ she chanted in her head. Once her head was cleared, she focused on the road in Hogsmeade leading to Hogwarts. Slowly Hermione felt her body turn and twist –it was working but a blinding pain made her cry out and fall on the floor. Her whole being was subjected to the most excruciating pain. She heard a bang in the distance, and saw wisps of gold hair before passing out.

Something hurt, something was really hurting, but Hermione couldn't place her finger on what exactly. When consciousness seeped in completely she realized her whole body was. She tried to remember what happened, where she was, where Ron was, where Theo was and what exactly had happened to her. She tried to sit up, her vision still a bit hazy and her throat dry. She felt two strong hands back her up. 'Water' she managed to croak. She wasn't sure if her helper comprehended the words she had spoken but when a glass of water was placed near her lips, she knew she had made sense.

As water soothed her tongue and throat and replenished some of her energy and vision, Hermione's eyes wandered around the room and then back to her helper. She jerked away in surprise and realization –

"Draco!" She cried –well, croaked, because her throat felt sore. All of the memories came flooding back –Dumbledore dying, she inspecting the snitch, ending up at Malfoy Manor... the last thing she remembered was trying to disapparate. What had happened? She looked around, panicking.

"You splinched." Draco explained, soothing some of her wild curls back from her face. Hermione flinched and pulled away, drawing up her knees to her chest and staring at the roaring fire. The sky outside the window was tinted with pink –dawn was breaking.

"You were trying to disapparate without a wand? Hermione, do you realize how fucking _dangerous _it was if I hadn't been present?" His voice had raised a decibel and she could feel the anger emanating from him.

"And whose fault is it that I was in the position where I was compelled to take such a _'dangerous'_ step?" She asked, her eyes fixed on the fire. She was so angry at him –she wanted to physically hurt him. But the way her body hurt, she knew she'd cause herself more damage. Draco took a sharp inhale of air and was about to say something when Hermione interrupted him –

"Didn't you say I was splinched? Where –where was I splinched? Which body part?" She asked, confused, as she couldn't find any wound. Her head snapped up when Draco refused to reply. "You used Dark Magic on me? How –How dare you, you scoundrel!?" She screamed, throwing the glass at him which it him right in the face. He cried in pain and yelled,

"Is that all you care about? That I used Dark Magic? Not the part where I fucking saved your life?"

"You want me to thank you for kidnapping me which forced me to do something so dangerous that put my life in jeopardy where you 'saved'" she made quotation marks, "Me using the darkest, vilest forms of magic available on earth? Don't hold your breath!" She screamed back, she couldn't help it when her voice cracked with emotion and adamant tears spilled out from the corner of her cinnamon eyes. "I want to go home." She said, hating how her voice sounded small and weak –but that was exactly how she felt at the moment. When Malfoy didn't answer after a long time, Hermione turned to find him staring at her –his eyebrows were knitted and his mouth was set in a frown. He seemed conflicted. "Let me go, please." Her plea seemed to soften him even more so she tread on carefully saying, "Everyone must be so worried. Professor McGonagall, Theo, Gin,"

"And that stupid Weasel." Draco said, angrily.

"And Ron." Hermione agreed. Her whole body still hurt but she refused to ask for help. "What do you hope to get out of this, M-Draco?" She asked, tiredly. She could feel her head getting heavier, and her eyelids closing of their own volition.

"I hoped –I hoped for a happy future with you, Hermione. I think we can be happy."

Hermione couldn't stifle the sad chuckle which escaped her. "Happy? Draco, I can _never_ be happy with a –a _Death Eater!_ A person who –who _kills_ people and does Voldemort's bidding.

She didn't miss the way Malfoy flinched at the mention of the name of Voldemort. Even though his face remained devoid of any emotion, she had known him long enough to see the slight tight set of his jaw, the way he hid his left hand out of Hermione's line of sight told her that he didn't want her to see it balled up, white at the knuckles. But he didn't need to –she already knew. The tension which descended was palpable. He kept staring at her with his stone hard grey eyes and she, with her cinnamon brown eyes.

The spell –no, the curse, was broken by the apparition of Mimi, another house elf belonging to the Malfoy family. She seemed a little hesitant and scared at approaching so abruptly.

"M-Master Draco? Mis-Mistress wishes to see you." She said, trembling violently, with fear –Hermione assumed. She felt bad for the elf and wanted to offer her something to eat when a very irksome Malfoy waved the elf off saying, "Later, Mimi. Tell Mother I will see her in a moment."

The elf, however, stood there –trembling. "But –but, Master Draco, Mistress Narcissa expects your presence now. She –she insists on seeing you as soon as I deliver the message. If –"

"Alright!" Draco's voice startled Hermione and the house elf who then burst into tears.

"Mimi made Master Draco angry. Mimi is a bad, bad elf!" She was wailing and banging her head against the door. Draco was impatiently massaging his forehead while Hermione, who was bereft of any physical strength, tried her best to calm the elf down with her words, which seemed to aggravate the house elf even more who started wailing even more loudly.

"Mimi." Draco said sternly. "Stop right now and take me to Mother." Mimi stopped immediately because it was direct order –but it looked like she had done so with great difficulty. Hermione watched warily as Malfoy followed Mimi out and shut the door behind him. She let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding in.

She wondered why Narcissa had summoned her son. And more importantly, if she knew that Malfoy had kidnapped Hermione and if she did, what did she think about all this? Narcissa had always been polite to Hermione when she and her son were ..._friends._ But she didn't know what Narcissa thought of her anymore after her blood status had been declared. _Nothing good I'm sure_, Hermione thought to herself as she let sleep claim her weak and exhausted body.

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"Draco Lucius Malfoy! What is this rubbish I'm hearing that you've brought –no, _kidnapped_ Hermione Granger and brought her to Malfoy Manor?" Narcissa's voice was shrill and made Draco wince. _Stupid house elves! _Draco cussed under his breath.

"Wh-" he began but he was cut off again by his mother who looked extremely furious. Red spots were freckled over her porcelain face as she screamed at him.

"When you made the bargain with the Dark Lord, I presumed your intentions to be noble! I presumed that you actually _cared_ about the girl!" She snarled at him in a very un-Malfoy like manner which made him flinch.

"But Mother, I do!" He interrupted her, furious that she thought that he didn't care about Hermione.

"And _this_ is how you show your care? By _kidnapping_ her?" Narcissa was pacing the room, looking furious. She also had a pained expression on her face.

"I did not 'kidnap' her!" Draco said hotly. "I did what I had to do to make sure that that stubborn Gryffindor is safe! These are times of War, mother. And knowing her, she is sure to venture out with her stupid Gryffindor friends to fight trained Death Eaters! I cannot have her die!" He growled back. His mother adorned a very painful expression now –one whose meaning Draco couldn't comprehend.

She impatiently massaged her forehead before sighing and saying, "You need to stop making decisions for her, Draco. She is her own person. You cannot bring her here against her will in an effort to protect her and think it is love. You cannot decide for her." She said earnestly as she settled herself next to her son. She needed for him to understand this.

"But Father always makes decisions for you and me." Draco said coolly.

"And look where it got us!" She said exasperated as she began pacing around the room again.

"Mother, stop worrying."

"How can I when my own son is up to such things? I know you love her but your way of loving her is wrong."

Draco stood up. "I love the only way I know how to, Mother." He said before taking his leave.

"She will hate you for it."

"At least she'll be alive and healthy to do that."He said looking over his shoulder before he shut the door behind him.

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Draco stepped into the room to find Hermione's sleeping form snoring lightly. He seated himself next to her on the bed and studied her features which were contorted in pain. He knew her body must be in real pain. He sighed at her stubbornness to refuse help and muttered a few spells which would numb the pain for some time. Her features relaxed immediately. He couldn't help but run a hand over her forehead, like she had done so many times in the past. His heart skipped a bit when she leaned into his touch, looking comfortable. He couldn't help feel encouraged and skim his lips across her cheek. She murmured something he was unable to catch.

When he repeated the action again, this time Hermione mumbled, thick with sleep,"Stop" But she was smiling. It felt surreal to Draco but he knew better than to ponder on the why and the what, so he peppered her face with kisses. "Ron. Gin wud see..." Hermione mumbled again, she was still sporting a smile on her face. Draco froze as pain and anger crippled his body. '_When things are too good to be true, they're not.' _Draco reminded himself.

"Ron?" She asked again before cracking an eyelid open expecting to see a tinge of red hair when in its stead she found blond and let out a shriek. Draco pulled away, his eyes cold, as he said flatly, "Pleasant dreams?"

As reality seeped in, Hermione's horror only grew. "Oh Merlin..." Her lower lip quivered. "Are –are you going to rape me?" She asked, reluctantly; she hated the way she sounded weak. She was really afraid of asking the question because she was even more afraid of the answer. She didn't want him pouncing on her when she felt so weak and vulnerable and wandless.

At her question, Draco's features softened –his jaw loosened. "Wha –I, No!" He said, his eyebrows were knitted and his eyes pleading –he adorned a pained expression. "Is that how you think of me now?"

"Yes." She whispered. Her cinnamon eyes bore into his grey ones –daring him to refute her. He had given her reason to say such things, after all. He looked away, feeling terrible and ashamed.

After a considerable amount of silence he said – "Mione, I –I will never hurt you. Not like that and not in any way." His pleading eyes found hers. He wanted, no, he _needed _her to believe him.

"Don't you see that you already are hurting me? By doing this?" She said, trying to sit up, refusing his help.

"But if I let you go, you'll fight in the War, Mione and I can't let you do that." He wanted her to understand that he was doing this for her own benefit.

"I can take care -"

"No, Mione, you can't."He said exasperated. He got up and started pacing the room, furious and annoyed that she wouldn't understand. "The Death Eaters are merciless. They'll –If they capture you, death would be a blessing." He said.

"I don't want to be a coward, Draco. I don't want to stay behind; cover my hide while everybody I know and care for is out, fighting against the dark. And I sure as hell will not stop fighting against you." She said stubbornly as she stuck her chin out in the air. Draco wondered how he had become the bad guy. "I will never be what you want me to be. _We _will never be."

"Why won't you fucking understand that I am doing this for your own fucking benefit?"

"Are _you_?" She asked him, her brown all-knowing eyes penetrating into his'.

"What the fuck does that mean?" He asked, anger boiling beneath his skin.

"Is it for my benefit or yours? Capture the mudblood and Draco gets 20 points for being an excellent Death Eater?" She cried angrily.

He went cold outside and extremely hot inside –was she insinuating that Draco was going to bargain her off to the Dark Lord? Anger took hold of him as he took her by her shoulders roughly, making her wince –as weak as she was she didn't mewl in pain; her stubbornness would've made him smirk if he weren't so irate.

"After the lengths I've gone to ensure you're safety, I cannot believe you're acting like such an ungrateful wench!" He growled dangerously. Although Hermione felt a tinge of fear bubble beneath her skin, she didn't let it show.

"Ungrateful? And what _lengths _did you go to? You just kidnapped me!" Hermione scoffed in his face.

"_Just kidnapped you?" _He snarled angrily, but paused for a second before pulling away and eyeing her curiously. He let out a dark laugh. "_Who_ do you think killed the headmaster, princess?" He asked, leaning forward. All blood from Hermione's face drained out, she was as pale as him –no, paler. Her eyes were wide with horror and seemed to be waiting for him to deny what _he_ was insinuating. Her mouth opened in a small 'o'. She might be saying 'No', Draco didn't know.

"But the more important question would be, '_why_ did I kill the headmaster'?" He softly skimmed Hermione's cheek with the back of his hand. She was too much in shock to flinch.

"Wh –what are you –what..." She said shaking her head, her eyebrows were knitted together. "No, no, what? What are you saying? That –that _you_ killed Dumbledore and –and ..._What?_" She was shaking her head furiously now. "Stop lying. NO!" She cried, covering her head with her hands protectively. Draco heard a muffled cry. Although it tugged at his heart, he wanted her to know the lengths he had gone to, will go to, to ensure Hermione was safe.

"I did kill Dumbledore." He said, brushing her wild curls. She was shaking violently –crying. "But don't you see? I did for _you_!" He said earnestly.

Hermione's head snapped up, her eyes were red, her face pink, "What –_No!_ Wh-What is that even supposed to mean? I didn't want Dumbledore to die! Oh Merlin, Oh _no!_" She buried her face in the nest of her arms and cried some more.

"I made a bargain with the Dark Lord. He said I could have you if I killed him –else he'd have killed you, Hermione. Don't you see?"

"Draco, you –you _killed_ someone. Don't you have any remorse whatsoever?" Her voice soft, breaking with sobs.

"It was you or him. I chose you." He said flatly, before leaving the room. Sometimes he couldn't stand her altruistic nature or her courage. Sometimes she was too good for her own good.

After crying for over an hour, the clock placed on the wall above the fireplace showed noon. Having no strength to scour the place to check for any escape routes, Hermione let sleep claim her. She woke when she heard a loud pop! and saw Pepper standing before her with a tray of food.

"Oh, Pepper! You startled me!" Hermione said, a hand clasped to her chest. "Pepper is deeply sorry, Miss. Pepper brought you something to eat since you haven't eaten anything since yesterday."

"Thank you, but I am not hungry." She said when the elf started placing the tray of food on the bed stand she had conjured.

"But Miss, you must eat!" Pepper said earnestly. "Miss is not well and Miss needs good, healthy good to regain her strength!" Pepper added enthusiastically.

"Pepper, that –that's kind of you but really, I am not hungry." Hermione lied –her stomach was grumbling at her words. Pepper stared at Hermione with her huge eyes which were shining with tears,

"Did –did Pepper upset Miss? Is Miss upset with Pepper for yesterday? But Pepper had no choice Miss. Mast –Master Draco will be displeased to hear that Miss hasn't eaten anything. Pepper is such a bad, bad elf that she cannot even take care of Miss." And then Pepper burst into tears and started punishing herself.

"Oh Godric, Stop it!" Hermione said weakly. "Here, here, I'm eating, see-" Hermione took a bite and the curry was just so delicious that she couldn't stop herself from sighing in pleasure. The elves really were good cooks. So it was under the watchful eye of Pepper that Hermione half grudgingly and half greedily ate her meal.

"Master Draco seems so happy now that Miss is here. He even asked Pepper, Mimi and Ulrica to change the room so that Miss would be comfortable here." Ah, that explained the several changes.

"And Master Draco also established a direct connection between the Malfoy Library and this room. Master said Miss loves to read." Pepper said pointing at a door opposite the fireplace –one which seemed to have appeared out of thin air because it was the first time Hermione had seen it. Had it always been there? Hermione didn't say anything as she took another bite of her curry and absently gazed at the door while the elf ranted on about how great Malfoy was and how many lifestyle changes he had undergone to accommodate 'Miss'. Inside her head, Hermione was working out the details –planning her next move. Why had Dr-Mal-Dr Ughhh. Hermione was sort of used to calling Draco, 'Malfoy' because that's the way Harry and Ron referred to him and she got used t it during the long stretch of winter holidays and also, she was used to correcting herself mentally. She cursed herself and strictly told her mind to refer to Malfoy as _Malfoy_ only.

Well, coming back to the point, Malfoy had connected the library to her (their?) room? Why? Was there any reason he didn't want her to wander around the Manor? Or was it a product of his 'thoughtful selfless nature' like Pepper was saying? The latter was unlikely. She got up to try the door from where Malfoy had exited and found it locked.

"Miss?" Pepper asked her from behind.

"Why won't this door open?" She asked through her gritted teeth.

"Miss cannot go outside."

"Why?"

"Miss cannot go outside." Pepper repeated again with her fearful expression. "Pepper should leave. Miss has eaten. Pepper will take her leave now, Miss. Please do call on Pepper if Miss needs assistance." Pepper disapparated with a pop before Hermione could say or do anything. It was clear that Pepper was bound by a direct order about not saying anything. It was clear that the Manor hid more than just a kidnapped Hermione. Nevertheless, she was determined to scour every inch of the library –look for books on Wandless Magic, routes of escape, etc.

Malfoy had obliviated her once –there was no saying if he wouldn't do it again. And although Hermione _had_ taken some Anti-Memory Charm measures she wasn't sure if they would work as there were not many cases to prove their worth. Hermione figured it best that she hold a journal-just in case something happened to her memories.

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**A/N – Ahhh, I am not really happy with this chapter. Hmph. Hmph. Hmph.**

**Okay, Okay, I know many of you are, for lack of a better word, **_**pissed off**_** at me because I added the rape part but-but –but it was part of the character development and I wanted to show just how dark and crazy Draco was getting because of his intense training, because of the pressure. Well, I've tried –as hard as I can- to show him to be remorseful and 'nice' in this chapter! **

**And also, the reason why I showed Ron to be nicer and better than Draco is simply because Ron IS better than Draco. BUT , but , but I wanted to show that despite ALL of that Hermione still loves Draco –because of reasons explained later. **

**AND, AND, AND, This fic is probably going to get DARKER! I have warned you. But the darkness, I fear, will not sprout from the person You all are expecting to sprout from. Ah, I can reveal no more! LOL.**

**Anyway, PLEASE BE PATIENT. I love your reviews! I love your advices/suggestions! :D**

**Soooo. Don't forget TO REVIEW!**


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

Eighteen hours. It had been eighteen hours since they noticed that Hermione was missing. Ron sat with his head in his hands, shoulders slumped –defeated. He had no idea what to do, where to search. He had scoured every inch of the castle with his classmates but it was done in vain. Hermione was seen last entering her dorm; she seemed to have vanished in thin air. On checking her room, her trunk was found wide open, clothes and other things scattering the bed and the floor. Nothing more. All sorts of questions and speculations were put forth. Had Hermione gone somewhere on purpose to fetch something? Was she kidnapped by some vile Death Eater? Was –was she dead?

The last question made everybody shudder. Ron felt an arm snake around his' –Ginny. He accepted the comfort she provided by burying his face in the crook of her neck. He felt a pang of affection for his little sister who was taking care of him when it should be the other way around.

Ginny herself felt dizzy from exhaustion. Her other elder brother had yet to pull through and all the sorrow and fighting and deaths had drained all joy and energy from her. She watched with red-rimmed, tired eyes as Theo, Harry, Neville and Blaise made their way to the duo.

"We –we searched everywhere." Theo panted; he was sweating from running everywhere with Harry, Blaise, Neville and a couple of others. "We didn't find her." His voice was softer and lower than a whisper.

"And there's –there's something else..." Harry said looking hesitant. A look was exchanged between the boys while Ginny and Ron waited for an explanation.

"Well, what is it?" Ron barked, irritated that he was left out of the loop. Ginny squeezed her brother's hand to calm him.

"Well, its, -we did a head count to see who all are missing." Neville began looking exhausted. "Well, it turns out Hermione isn't the only person who is missing."

Ron's blue eyes searched Neville's. Ron started shaking his head. _No._

"Wh –What are you saying, Neville?" Ginny asked, her voice trembled. Her eyes were wide with apprehension. She searched Theo's face for answers; his face was set in stone, his eyes cold. "Theo?" She asked, scared of the answer he might give her. "Not –not _him_."

Theo gave her a curt nod. Ginny could swear she heard an extremely loud and agonized scream –it was born from her own mouth.

"Draco Malfoy." Ron whispered while Ginny sobbed heavily next to him. Theo nodded at him again.

A cold shiver ran down his spine as horrifying thoughts plagued his mind. He shook those thoughts away as he met the Slytherin's gaze and said, "What are we going to do about this now?"

"We have a plan."

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Beams of sunlight streamed in through the window and grazed Hermione's face. Hermione cracked an eyelid open and cringed at the sharp stab of light and reality which seeped in.

A week. That's how long it had been. She knew Harry and Ron and Theo would never give up on her. They would find her. They would. And although it had only been a week, Hermione could feel herself going slowly insane. She felt claustrophobic within the two rooms she was locked up in. She would spend most of her time in the library, reading books and writing in her journal –the only two things which kept her sane. The only human contact was Draco and it wasn't helping her.

A tear drop found its way down her face. Angry at herself for being so weak she turned away on her side to come face to face with one Draco Malfoy. She gasped and her hands ran to her pounding chest –to calm her heart down. She was about to shriek and throw him off the bed when she noticed that he was indeed sleeping. She was surprised at how different he looked. All the tension from his face had been relaxed. She scrutinized him disgusted at the peaceful expression he adorned. She jumped when his mouth moved and he said with his grey eyes boring into hers, "What are you staring at?"

"Wondering how you manage to sleep so peacefully after destroying so many lives." She retorted coldly. The tension seeped back into Malfoy's face and she could hear him grit his teeth angrily. In an instant he shot up, swinging his feet on the side and thrust his hands into his pockets.

"It's time for breakfast." He said flatly. She let out a dark chuckle and shook her head. She refused to have breakfast with _him_. "Hermione..." He said warningly, "You're already weak. You need food. Come on, now." His voice had softened a bit. Hermione's head snapped up at this and she couldn't help angrily retort by saying, "You don't get to talk to me like that. Like everything is okay. Like you actually _care_ about me."

Draco was about to say something but he was interrupted when the house elves appeared to set the table for breakfast. He pulled out the chair for Hermione, waiting patiently for her to come sit in it. She knew Malfoy was pulling such an act because Hermione hated making Pepper cry. Grudgingly, Hermione staggered towards the seating arrangement and allowed Draco to tuck her in. When the elves left, Draco said in a deceptively calm and soft voice,

"I _do_ care about you." He felt extremely angry that Hermione wouldn't believe that he cared about her. What else did he have to do to prove his love for her?

She could literally feel the anger bubbling beneath his skin. But she didn't care. His actions always contradicted his words.

"What else am I supposed to do to make you believe? Can't you see how much it hurts me when you're in pain?" Draco growled angrily, his knuckles white as they clamped down tightly on the table.

Hermione didn't know why she did what she did next. Maybe the isolation was getting to her, maybe the whole situation was messing with her psyche. She wasn't sure. But she did it. She reached for the knife and stabbed her wrist with it. She whimpered at the pain but she dragged it vertically and said, "Then I hope this hurts you tenfold."

Horrified at what was taking place, Draco snatched the knife out of her hand angrily. "What the _fuck_ do you think you're doing?"

"Hurting you." She said simply as Draco watched her with incredulous and angry eyes. He couldn't retort as he was busy summoning elves and muttering healing spells. But he didn't miss the strange look in Hermione's eyes. They were...vacant for sometime before life plunged into them. Draco knew he should've done or said something right then but he shook the disturbing thoughts away and buried the matter as nothing. _She'll be fine_, He told himself. _She just needs to get used to living here. Then everything will be fine._

"I'll never get used to living here. I don't want to be here." Hermione's cry cut through his consciousness. Angry tears were streaming down her face. Draco didn't realize he had spoken his thoughts aloud. "Nothing will _ever be okay_!" She threw a plate at him which he dodged.

"Stop behaving like this, Hermione. Stop fighting. _Give up._"

"Never!" She snarled. "Theo and Ron will come for me. They will never give up. So _I _will never give up."

His eyes became stormy at the mention of Ronald and he let out a dark laugh, "It's been a week, Hermione. And even if they know where you are, they will never be able to penetrate through the ancient wards and-" He was about to retort when his forearm burned. He hissed in pain.

"Duty calls?" She hissed, angrily.

"Be a good girl, while I'm gone." He said approaching her to bid her goodbye when she backed away. Anger took hold of him at her blatant rejection; jealousy crippled him when he thought she wouldn't have rejected the gesture if it were made by the rotten Weasel. He wanted to shake her stubbornness out of her and she looked like she knew what was coming. She had squeezed her eyes shut tightly bracing herself for whatever Draco was about to do –and that was what made Draco stop or maybe it was his mother's words –or maybe both.

When he saw her like that –scared and helpless; and the reason for that was himself made him stop abruptly in his tracks, his eyes wide with disbelief and horror. He turned and left the room wondering how he had become such a vile person. Hermione jumped when she heard the door shut with a loud bang. She was relieved that Malfoy hadn't done anything violent to her.

She sprawled on the bed, exhausted. Her arm still stung from where she had cut. She didn't know why she had cut herself. It had been an impulsive and perhaps a foolish action but she _had_ to do it. Truth was that the pain was the only thing she was _feeling._ Despair and depression had worn her out terribly. Her once strong body was weak –because of the excessive potions she was to take because of being splinched. She had refused any sorts of dark magic near her and allowed only potions she recognized. The potions healed her body, but internally, too many of them could cause harm too.

She could feel her aching limbs being pulled into sleep's embrace but she admonished herself for entertaining the idea of sleeping when there were other much more important things to be attended to; prepare herself for the attack she was going to be subjected to.

The house elves apparated and she allowed them to run the bath for her. As she lowered herself into the hot water, Hermione's mind wandered to that fateful night when she realized that Draco wasn't the only person she had to fight against –defend herself from.

_It was precisely eighteen hours after Hermione was kidnapped that she heard noises from behind the door which Malfoy had used and was locked for her. She had picked up the lamp placed near the bed stand and braced herself to attack the intruder. She could hear a female voice she didn't recognize and a male voice –Draco's. _

_Her heart pounded in her chest as sweat trickled down her face in anticipation and fear. The door knob turned and the door opened a crack; the voices became clearer and more comprehensible. _

"_But Aunt Bella, she isn't well right now. Can you not come some other day?" Malfoy's irritated but fearful voice froze Hermione on spot. Infamous Death Eater Bellatrix Lestrange was at her door? She was related to Draco? Draco was related to Bellatrix Lestrange? Hermione felt dizzy with the horrifying information and because her body was already weak. The furious pounding of her heart was the only sound she could hear now. She did what she thought was best –slip under the covers and go with the excuse Malfoy was giving._

"_But Draco, that is precisely why it is wise to strike now. When the filthy mudblood is weak –she won't be able to resist much. Of course, I could just Crucio the little bitch if the need be!" Bellatrix's cackling laughter chilled Hermione's bones._

"_Aunt Bella, could you not call her that?" Draco's irritation was more pronounced now. _

"_I will call that filthy mudblood exactly what she is. Now move, before I forget you are my nephew." It seemed Draco had no choice in matter as the door flew open with a loud bang making Hermione wince but she held her ground and tried to calm her screaming heart._

"_You allowed filth to occupy your bed, Draco? I will never understand your attraction towards such filth." Hermione could feel the footsteps approaching her –she didn't know who it was, Bellatrix or Draco. This didn't help her nerves._

"_Aunt Bella, can you not –"_

"'_Aunt Bella, can you not'" Bellatrix mimicked Draco and let out an evil bout of giggles before sharply saying, "No, Draco I cannot. I need information and-"_

"_It can surely wait a day or two!" Draco growled angrily_

"_What is all this commotion?" A third voice broke in. Hermione immediately recognized this voice as she had heard it several times when she had come to Malfoy Manor of her own volition–Narcissa Malfoy. She heard someone release a sigh –Draco._

"_Oh Cissa, can you ask your son to kindly move. He is not allowing me to do my job. Quite the nuisance he has grown up to be." The malice and thinly veiled threat in Bellatrix's voice was not lost on anybody. Hermione didn't miss the pet name used by Bellatrix Lestrange to refer to Narcissa Malfoy and it was then that she was reminded of being told by someone that Narcissa Malfoy belonged to the Black Family and was therefore a sister to Bellatrix and Andromeda Black and a cousin of Sirius Black, Harry's Godfather._

"_Bella, I expect you to speak respectfully to my son when you are in my home." Narcissa Malfoy said in a sharp voice. "Now what is it that you've come here for?"_

"_I've come here to do the Dark Lord's bidding and why, Cissa, you don't seem to be happy to see me at all!" Bellatrix said maliciously._

"_That is beside the point now, Bella. What bidding are you here to do?"_

"_Extract information from the mudblood Draco brought home. Say, how can you allow this nonsense to take place, Cissa? What would mother say if she knew your son was a blood traitor like our filthy sister Andromeda?"_

_Hermione heard someone, probably Narcissa, take a sharp inhale of breath before saying, "Whatever my son did, it was a consequence of the deal he entered into with the Dark Lord. Now are you questioning the Dark Lord's decision for allowing Draco to keep what this –girl?"_

_It took every ounce of self-control to not scream and shout at the women who spoke for saying that Draco was allowed to 'keep' her like she was some possession to be exchanged and owned. _

"_N –Now that is not what I –I meant! I would __**never**__ question the Dark Lord!" Bellatrix snarled angrily making the fine hairs on Hermione's arms stand. _

"_That is not how it looked like, Bella." Narcissa replied curtly. Her voice was devoid of any emotion. "Such words can be taken as treason, you know?" Narcissa said flatly. The threat lingering in her words could not be missed. _

"_H-how __**dare**__ you? Y –you would threaten your own sister for this –this filthy mu-" Bellatrix was saying but Narcissa cut her off by saying "Maybe you should come back after a few days to complete the Dark Lord's bidding." _

"_Fine!" Bellatrix snarled and Hermione heard the door shut with a loud bang._

"_Th-thank you, Mother." Hermione heard Draco say. She had completely forgotten he was there. _

_Hermione didn't hear Narcissa reply but she did hear the door open and close again. _

_Several things had become clear to Hermione –the reason she was locked in was probably related to Bellatrix Lestrange or other Death Eaters and that Bellatrix Lestrange was going to come back to use Leglimency on Hermione and probably use the Cruciatius Curse on her too to extract information Voldemort wanted. Hermione had a feeling that Bellatrix Lestrange was going to use the latter more than the former. She also discovered that Narcissa Malfoy wasn't even half as malicious as her sister._

She wondered for a fleeting second if she could depend on the lady to get her out of here but then she was reminded that she was Draco's mother and there was a reason why Malfoy was so spoiled. She was sure that Narcissa would take her son's side.

And it was since then that Hermione had divided her time between writing in her journal and practicing Occlumency. During the winter vacation, one of the eldest of Weasely brothers, Bill, had taught her, Ron and Harry a bit of Occlumency so Hermione had a clue of how to proceed. He had also given them ideas on how to practice it on their own –they were to set an object as a target which they weren't supposed to think about and then do everything in their power to not think about it.

Ridiculously difficult, really, but since Hermione had no choice, she had resorted to practicing it and she had even succeeded quite a few times. Harry and Ron were absolutely miserable at it. There were a few times when Bill wasn't able to penetrate through, or get the information he wanted from Hermione's mind.

And now Hermione was determined to practice it until she mastered the art of Occlumency. It had been a week and Bellatrix Lestrange hadn't shown up, but Hermione couldn't let herself believe that she was forgotten and safe.

Hermione stepped out of the bath gingerly and dried herself to put on the robes set out for her. She was going to resign herself into the library when she was startled by a pop! Pepper apparated before her and said,

"Miss? Mrs. Malfoy wishes to see you."

The strange request left Hermione baffled. Apart from that night, Hermione had spent only a few minutes in Narcissa Malfoy's company when things weren't so hostile as they were now. Hermione would've refused but the offer was so tempting. Not only would it satiate her cravings for human contact and Hermione was exceedingly curious and desperate to get out of the two rooms in which she was imprisoned in. And most importantly, it would also clear any doubts she had about whether or not Narcissa would help her escape from this place.

So Hermione followed Pepper out through a long corridor where she was escorted into a door on the left. The parlour was large and well lit. Narcissa sat near the window and smiled when she saw Hermione.

"Miss. Granger, please have a seat."

Hermione warily studied her environment before she took her seat across from Narcissa Malfoy.

"Would you like some tea?" She asked politely. Was this woman crazy? Hermione was kidnapped and she's making conversation like Hermione was a normal visitor? Hermione studied the woman for any fallacy before nodding her head. "Lovely."Narcissa said and motioned Pepper to serve them tea. After several moments of silence Narcissa finally said,

"I hope you're keeping well?"

The question seemed absolutely ridiculous to Hermione and this is why she retorted by saying,

"As well as a person can keep after being kidnapped and caged in two rooms."

Narcissa seemed to consider this for a while before saying, "I see." She put her cup down, all hints of warmth removed from her face.

"I know my son's actions are wrong. –"

"WRONG? Wrong is an understatement! He kidnapped me! Surely you can clearly see that there is more than just something 'wrong' with it!" Hermione cried indignantly. Narcissa, however, looked unperturbed and let the young lady vent.

"Yes, I agree. But you must know he loves you."

"He does not. His way of loving his wrong." Hermione said stubbornly, as she raised her chin in the hair, biting her lower lip. "Even I loved him but I –I would never do something so, so low..." Hermione's voice trailed off. She was surprised when Narcissa let out a sharp short laugh.

"Love? Don't insult me child, by saying that you loved him." Narcissa took a sip of her tea as Hermione processed her words.

"What is that supposed to mean? I did love your son." Hermione said, getting miffed that this woman was taking her for a liar.

"You left him as soon as things got hard. That is not love. I am not blaming you. I am not saying you did the wrong thing. You did the absolute, most prudent thing a girl of your age should've done. But it's not a girl who was in love would've done –could've done." Narcissa's words seeped into Hermione's brain. Did Hermione really not love Draco ? Because her whole being had said otherwise when they were together...she _knew_ she loved him. This woman knew nothing about her. Hermione was going to retort coldly when Narcissa beat her to it,

"Didn't you enter into a relationship with the Weasely boy?" Narcissa's voice was calm and cool and dislike at Ron's name was thinly veiled.

"I _am_ in a relationship with him." Hermione said raising her head proudly. Narcissa looked unfazed.

"Are you in love with him?"

Hermione felt a bit jittered at the question but nevertheless answered, "Yes. I am."

"Then, my dear, how do you explain loving the Weasely boy when you say you love Draco?"

Hermione's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "I never said I love Draco I said I loved Draco. Past tense. And for that matter, people move on all the time. And I moved on from Draco. Ron is a better person. He loves me. I love him." She was starting to sound like a child. Her explanation felt lame and baseless to herself. Nevertheless she held her ground and confident facade.

"Do you even hear yourself, darling? You sound absolutely ridiculous." The cool voice in which Narcissa had said this was much more harsher and Hermione felt that it would've been much less harsher if she had been screamed at. "You may be in love with that Weasely boy but you were never in love with my Draco. You were merely infatuated with him...or you can say that you really cared about him. But love him, you did not. So please do not make a fool out of my age and experience by claiming the opposite." Narcissa said coldly. Hermione felt really angry and irritated –at being made to feel like a fool and like she was wrong. And Hermione was hardly wrong. Funnily, most of the times she found herself wrong were in cases regarding one platinum haired Draco Malfoy.

"Why did you summon me here?" Hermione asked irritably. She preferred isolation rather than this mental torture.

"To warn you that my sister Bellatrix is due to come on next Sunday to extract information from your mind." Narcissa said in a deceptively calm voice that reminded her much of Draco.

Hermione's head snapped up at this. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Well, I know you already know that Bella seeks the knowledge you hold." Narcissa said. Hermione stared at her incredulously wondering how she knew that Hermione knew about this. As if reading her thoughts, Narcissa replied, "You aren't the most talented of actors, dear. I could clearly tell you were awake the way your hand twitched when Bella raised her voice or the slight furrow of your brow –you should learn to control all that, by the way. And I figured since you know the first half, you should also know the second half."

"But why do _you_ care?"

Narcissa's steely gaze cut into Hermione's as the former said, "I love my son, Miss. Granger. And for reasons that aren't entirely clear to me, he loved you more than he has loved anything in his life. So I owe it to him to protect that what he loves."

Hermione considered this for a while before whispering a hesitant 'Thank You.' Narcissa only gave a curt nod in response.

"Do tell me if I can be of any assistance." Narcissa said as Hermione got up to take her leave. Hermione shrugged at her offer but stopped when an idea entered her head.

"Actually, there _is_ something you can help me with."

Narcissa raised an eyebrow. "You can practice leglimency on me and I can try to deflect it."

"I am not providing you with a wand, Miss. Granger." Narcissa said warily.

"You don't need to. I –I know wandless magic. Though I'm quite weak at it I think as my strength replenishes I can try to shield my mind better but I need practice."

Narcissa considered this for a while before she said, "Okay. We can do this at eleven every morning. In the parlour. I will send Pepper to fetch you each morning. The moment you try to do something other than what is required –like escape or attack me, I will make sure you are locked up in that bedroom until eternity." Hermione didn't undermine this threat and gave a curt nod to assure the woman that she understood.

"Oh, and Hermione?" Narcissa called out just as Hermione was about to exit. "Keep this from Draco. I don't want him finding out about this."

Hermione was escorted out of the room by Pepper. After Hermione had left, Narcissa said aloud,

"You can lift the Disillusionment Charm now, Draco."

Draco lifted the disillusionment Charm from himself and came to life. He kissed his mother's cheek and said "Thank you." Before taking a seat opposite her.

"I still don't understand why you don't want her to know that it's you who want her to be able to protect herself." Narcissa said eyeing her son with concerned eyes. He seemed to have lost weight again.

"She won't accept help from me." Draco said simply. The hurt in his words was not missed by his mother whose heart ached terribly knowing that her son was in pain.

"You heard the girl. She loves that Weasely kid."

Draco grimaced and said, "Yeah, I did. Thanks for that, by the way. And don't worry, I'm taking care of it."

Narcissa raised an eyebrow, "Taking care of it? What do you mean?"

Draco merely shrugged in response.

"Don't do anything rash Draco. Don't do anything that will make her hate you."

"She won't." Draco said as he got up to take his leave before his mother could ask for more details. He needed to work out the plan for himself and he didn't want to be talked out of it. Things will get better. One way or the other. He would make sure of it.

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**A/N – Hey, I will not be posting until a very long time...probably april or something cause I have major exams coming up! These are like NEWTs. THEREFORE, VERY IMPORTANT. I am a very bad girl for updating this chapter when I should be studying for my Sociology Practical for day after tomorrow but I just wanted to give an update before I take my long leave. **

**Hope you liked it. **

**I have a very vague idea as to where I am going with this and how I am going to end it.**

**Do give me suggestions and advice if U think U can better the plot**

**Love you guys **

**See you...soon. **


	11. Chapter 11

A/N- Its effing three in the morning here. So ignore the typos please.

CHAPTER 11

Draco Malfoy thought himself as an opportunist. He was _taught _to be an opportunist. When an opportunity presented itself in front of him, he never failed to grasp it and exploit it to its maximum extent.

He was never taught to give up or consider the morality of exploiting opportunities the way he did. In fact, he was often commended for his rational and _callous _decision making the way Malfoy men are _supposed _to make.

And for that exact reason, Draco Malfoy found himself on the Astronomy Tower.

As he was waiting for _the _opportunity to present itself in a moment or two, he found his thoughts wandering towards the girl with crazy brown curls who must be curled up on his bed in a deep slumber.

She was fighting him too hard, he mused angrily.

He couldn't understand why she wouldn't understand why he was doing what he was doing. And the earlier conversation Hermione had with his mother troubled him greatly.

Although his heart warmed at the thought that Hermione had defended herself angrily, claiming that she had indeed loved Draco, Draco knew that his mother's allegations of Hermione's 'infatuation' with Draco were not found in quicksand but on something more concrete and real.

Especially when Hermione said that she had _moved on_ and she 'loved Draco. _Past frigging tense.'_ He clenched his jaw angrily.

How could she say so? How could she forget so easily? How could she be such a bitch!?

He shook those angry thoughts away and decided it was time. He descended the stairs and caught _the_ opportunity which he was waiting for –a glimpse of red hair.

He pulled out his wand and aimed it at the redhead.

_It was time. _

Hermione was sitting huddled up in the library where the elves had put up cushions and sheets spread out for her because she didn't find the huge loveseat placed near the fireplace comfortable and because she spent most of her time there.

For some reason she felt really frail and weak. She had been eating properly. She had also gone to see Narcissa earlier that day for their session.

She still didn't trust the woman completely.

Ironically, she trusted her enough to agree to let her into her head. She didn't really have much of a choice.

Her mind flitted to the events that took place earlier that morning. She had made her way to Narcissa's room. Secretly she had been craving this meeting. Another human contact was all she needed to feel a little better –a little alive.

"Good morning Miss Granger. How are you feeling today?" Narcissa had asked her with a sweet smile. _Swell, _Hermione wanted to say but instead opted for nodding curtly.

"Have some tea." Narcissa said motioning a house elf to pour tea. Hermione scrutinized the room warily before taking a seat opposite to Narcissa.

She was still quite unsure about how to proceed with this whole thing so she waited till Narcissa initiated their little project.

But surprisingly, Narcissa looked completely at ease, as if they were really just two friends having tea.

This unnerved and annoyed Hermione to no end. What games did she gave rolled up her sleeves?

Her nonchalance was an extremely loud Malfoy trait and reminded her too much of Draco which only aggravated her further.

"Are we going to begin with this or not?"Hermione asked after ten minutes of silence. Her question sounded extremely rude when said aloud and Hermione was just about to apologize, especially when she received a sharp look from Narcissa.

But she stayed her ground. _She _was kidnapped; _she_ had no reason to apologize to anyone.

"Yes, Miss Granger, we will begin with our training. Can you hold your horses until after we are done with breakfast?" Narcissa said in an apathetic, cold voice which petrified any self-confidence Hermione had mustered.

She pouted but didn't say anything. Hermione sulkily sipped her tea while scrutinizing the lady in front of her.

Narcissa was looking out of the window they were sitting next to, into the gardens. Hermione followed her line of sight and felt a wave of nostalgia hit her.

The same gardens she and Draco used to sit and talk about..._everything._ Things were so simple, light and _fun_ back then. But now they were all distorted and disgusting and _unbearable._

"For a sixteen year old, Draco has seen more of the world than someone his age was supposed to. And he had to make decisions that normal sixteen year olds don't need to." Narcissa said suddenly.

"Yes, but so did Harry!" Hermione countered.

"Yes, but don't you understand, girl? Every person is different. We cannot control the places we come from. As a muggle born people would think you know it best." Hermione was about to interrupt when Narcissa cut her off by saying, "Being a Malfoy isn't easy."

"I don't wish to speak about this anymore. If you're done trying to sell me on Draco can we start the training?"

"Scared you might see goodness still lingers into this monster you've morphed into your head? He has the darkness and the light in him, Miss Granger. You cannot dismiss the light within him just because you can see his darkness; just like you don't want people to dismiss your intelligence or worth just because your low heritage was revealed."

"_Low heritage? _There is nothing wrong with being a muggle born. If you are too prejudiced to see it, then _I _feel sorry for _you._" Hermione said narrowing her eyes to slits. Narcissa sighed and put her tea cup down.

"That may be so, but I hope you understood the point I was trying to make. Considering how intelligent everyone claims you to be, I am sure you did." Her steely gaze cutting into Hermione's brown ones.

"So what you're trying to say is that beneath all that darkness of his he is a good little boy?" Hermione mocked.

"Precisely. He-"

"He tried to rape me", Hermione interrupted Narcissa. Hermione saw as Narcissa's mask of nonchalance slipped off and something akin to horror displayed as her eyes widened slightly and her mouth was set in a frown. _She_ _certainly wasn't expecting her little angel of a son to do something so abhorrent_, Hermione thought snidely. A few moments of silence passed before Hermione took it on herself to break it by saying,

"You didn't know."

"No, I didn't. I am sorry Miss Granger, not only for what was done to and what you are being subjected to but also because I realized I need to be somewhere right now. I am sure we can start our lessons from tomorrow," Narcissa said in a soft, yet impersonal tone which surprised Hermione. Narcissa stood up abruptly and left the room before Hermione could think of something.

A door shut loudly making Hermione wince. She stared at the blond man who adorned a smile and gazed at her lovingly. His smile however faltered and he frowned.

"You look weak. Are you sick or something?" Draco stalked towards her and stretched a hand to touch her cheek when she flinched and pulled away.

"Don't touch me." She said through gritted teeth. His palm curled into an angry fist which he snatched back and let it lay against his thigh.

"I just wanted to see if you're okay or not." He said angrily.

"Yeah, well, thanks to your own actions I cannot bear to be touched by you." Her brown eyes cut into his grey ones.

"Who do you want to be touched by then, that _weasel_?" She heard him say. Her eyes snapped up to his'. Not because she found his words offensive or that they affected her in a way more than other words uttered by him did. But because the way he said. There was no anger in it. No jealousy. Only malice and...He was smirking. She assessed him warily.

"Yes. I want to be touched and held by Ronald." She said warily measuring his reaction.

"Too bad that is never going to happen. Ever."

"I'll get out of here one day." She vowed.

"Even if you get out of here it's never going to happen." Draco said feeling smug. He saw as different emotions played on Hermione's face. Her eyes widened a little as she drank in his words.

"What does that mean?" She said shakily.

"What do you think it means?"

"Don't play games with me, Malfoy! Tell me what the fuck you meant!" She barked angrily. Draco sent her an angry glare at the use of his last name by her.

"It means that the little Weasel is biting dust right now."

She stared at him for a really long time. Her small chest rising and falling as she took in his words.

"What?" She asked, a frown marring her perfect features. "What –what did you just say?"

Hermione felt her throat had become really dry. She suddenly felt really dizzy.

"I said that the weasel is dead. Dead and-"

But Hermione heard no more of what he was saying. She felt like throwing up. She could feel something coming.

Not puke but something else. Something like a storm she couldn't stop. She felt a palpable pain cripple her whole being –slice through her chest.

Ah yes, there It was. The crippling, paralyzing pain. Tears streamed down her face.

Several images her and Ron flashed. Ron her sweet love. Her sweet childhood friend. A gasp left Hermione as she realized, horrified, at the trauma Molly and Ginny must be suffering right now. And Fred and George. They had just lost their brother. And it was because of her. Because this maniac 'loved' her. Her hazy eyes shot an incredulous disgusted glare at Draco.

"...And now you'll be all mine. To take. I know it hurts for girls when it's their first time but don't worry I'll be really gentle-" When she realized what Draco was talking about she could taste the bile in her mouth.

But to her surprise and Draco's all that came out was a bark of laughter. His head snapped up, confusion written plainly in his eyes.

"Is that what you think? That I'll just _be_ with you? I love Ronald. Even if he's dead I will _always _love him. _Always._" She could see Draco's face was tinted with pink now; the knuckles of his fist were white.

"And it's rather cute how you think _you_'ll be my 'first'. Ronald was my first." She said triumphantly and wiped her tears.

Draco's face was set in stone as the words seeped in. "_You let that Weasel fuck you?" _He barked angrily.

"More than once." She said adorning a sweet smile even though her heart was breaking inside.

"What did you think I was doing at the Burrow, Draco?"

She could see the storm brew in his grey eyes but in that moment she didn't care. "And he was so good, Draco. It was perfect. Because we loved each other. And you and I will never have that"

Draco angrily hauled her up by her elbow and held her against him. "You're pathetic. You will _never_ compare to him." She spat at him angrily.

"I didn't want to do this. But you leave me with no choice." His sickly sweet breath was fanning her face as he raised his wand and pointed it at her. She pushed against him roughly and fell on her ass. Horror was painted across her face as she said, "What –what are you doing?"

"I'm making you forget." He said calmly as he advanced towards her.

"No –no! You –you can't do that! You've taken everything from me! You've kidnapped me and brought me to live in this hellhole. Now you're going to take away my memories too? I won't let you –you asshole!" She said she started throwing books –which he deflected –at him.

"Please don't do this. I –I will do anything. Don't take away my memories of him. Please. It's all I have, Ma-Draco. Please. Don't.

"It will take away all that pain you must be feeling. And we can be like before. And it will also solve the problem of that little rendezvous with Aunt Bella." His voice deceptively calm. His determination and face was set in stone.

"What happened to you? What the hell did they do to you to make you like this?"

A steady stream of tears poured down her face as she asked steadily, "What all are you going to take away from me?"

He waited for a moment –as if deep in thought –before saying, "I want to erase all the memories of the Weasel-" Hermione gasped, "-But on second thought, I think the problem here _is Hermione granger_, and I want to erase _her_ existence."

"No." Hermione gasped, unconsciously clutching her necklace which held her parent's pictures. "You can't do that to me. They are my parents, Draco. How can you think of doing such things to me?"

He sneered as he covered the distance between them, "How can _you_ do this to _me? _How can _you_ forget me so vilely and let that Weasel fuck you?" Hermione flinched at his language.

"You are accusing _me_ of being vile?" She asked hotly. "I can't believe it. I am sure Narcissa will agree with me who the vile person is when it comes to you and I, Draco. _Especially_ after the conversation I had with her."

"What conversation?" Draco's eyes were lit with suspicion and malice.

"The conversation where I told her the truth."

"And what exactly is that?" He dared to ask..

"That you tried to rape me, you asshole!" She shouted, unwilling to cower in the face of his towering, intimidating form.

"It wasn't rape. It was a _misunderstanding_. And I remember apologizing for that." He shrugged, moving away. _He shrugged?_

"How daft and thick _can_ you be? This must be some sort of a coping or defence mechanism your mind has built to protect yourself from the truth. And your fucked up half-ass apologies were supposed to make what you did okay? Did you even _feel sorry? _You would be drowning in your guilt and not kidnapping me like this _if _ you were sorry!"

"Shut up." Draco said angrily. Hermione ignored him and went on.

"-And it was RAPE! How fucking sick are you to say that itwas a _misunderstanding_!? And it doesn't matter what you do because-"

"_Shut up," _Draco whispered dangerously, stalking towards her. But Hermione didn't dare stop. The adrenaline coursing through her veins helped nullify her fear and she needed to say this before the adrenaline stopped.

"-It will always be one of the most traumatic experiences of my life! Fucking _nothing_ can ever change that! Even if _I _don't remember, _you _will! And I hope you _rot_ with the knowledge of this. So before you forget, let me spell it out to your again, 'IT WAS ATTEMPTED RAPE!' And I hate you. I hate you so much!" She screamed.

She didn't even realize until she had stopped crying that she had been crying the whole time. She felt pathetic and weak for the display of tears but in a way, her words and the salt of her tears were cathartic. Until she remembered again that Ron was alive no more.

"I need you to shut your fucking mouth." She could feel Draco's warm breath against her head but she was too taken by grief to retort or react.

"And you killed him. The _one _person who I truly love. You -You killed him." She whispered before breaking into sobs, wrapping her arms around herself. "He's dead. Oh Godric, I can't believe he -he's dead?" She felt like she was being given the Dementor's kiss -like all her happiness was being sucked in by someone.

"And he died. _Because of me_." She whispered, horror struck. Draco _had_ killed him because he was jealous of her relationship with Ron. So it was _her_ fault, wasn't it?

If she had never gotten involved with Ron, he would've been alive and happy right now. Ginny, George, Fred, Bill, Charlie and even _Percy, _for that matter, would have a brother. Molly would have her son. Harry would have his best friend.

Draco was startled to see Hermione rocking back and forth, her arms shielding her ears and her mouth replaying the same words again and again.

_All my fault, _they said.

Hermione felt arms still her rocking. She didn't realize she had been rocking but nevertheless she put her surprise aside and vehemently protested against the arms.

"Don't you _ever_ dare touch me, you, you disgusting little piece of shit!" Red rimmed puffy eyes bore into cold grey ones, as Hermione spat the words at Draco. He clenched his jaw angrily and withdrew his hands which had curled into tight angry fists.

"I just wanted to comfort you." He said spitefully.

"Comfort me for the same pain that _you've_ caused me?" She shook her head in disbelief, sporting a sad smile. "You're unbelievable. But then again, you always do that don't you. From the time I've met you all that you've caused me is unbearable pain, haven't you? And I was ready to move on! I was -I had moved on. With -With Ron." A fresh batch of tears streamed down Hermione's face.

Draco's anger broke and he was conflicted between comforting her and hurting her for saying such hurtful things to him.

"You should obliviate me." Hermione's steady cool voice surprised Draco, who was leaning against the bookshelf.

"You should obliviate me," Hermione said again. Her eyes and voice were empty of emotion. "I hate you," She said softly. Even though Draco's insides hurt at her words, he didn't fail to notice the casualness and the calmness of her voice. This disturbed him far more greatly than any words uttered by her in passion had.

"And I will always hate you. Guess there's only one way to get out of this 'messy' situation for you -obliviate me. But even _Hermione Lyra_ will still never bow down to you, Malfoy. I will never be this person you want me to be. So there's only one solution."

Draco listened to her curiously.

"Kill me."

He didn't let the agonizing surprise he felt inside show as he said coldly, "You've had a rough day. You need to sleep."

"I could do it myself if you're not up to it. But I suppose killing Harry Potter's Mudblood friend would give you extra Death Eater Points..." She rambled on but when she saw that Draco was not going to humour her by even responding to her suggestion she sighed heavily and leaned against the wall, closing her eyes.

Draco sat on the loveseat and observed her for the longest. Her breathing slowed and slowed till soft snored emanated from her. He wanted to hold her soft, warm body against himself. He just wanted her to forget the pain she was going through. The pain _he_ put her through -she had made that clear. He sighed.

He walked over to her and picked up her lanky form to tuck her into her bed. And just as he made his way out, a meek soft voice said, "I hope you get really hurt the next time you go into battle."

Draco didn't bother replying and grimly closed the door. _At least she didn't wish him dead. Not directly, _He thought this to himself. He was surprised by an elf popping up and telling him that his mother expected an audience with him right now. All Draco wanted to do was take a long warm bath but that evidently had to wait.

"You called for me, mother?"

His head whipped to the left violently and his cheek stung. His mother has slapped him. Slowly and incredulously he stared at his mother for an explanation. She was rubbing her right palm -probably the one with which she had smacked him. She wore the coldest expression Draco had ever seen her wear.

"Wh-" Draco began but he was cut off by a cold, "Sit down, Draco."

She motioned to the seat beside the window. "I think today is one day I can tell you son, that I truly, really ashamed of being your mother."

Her words cut through Draco like a Cruciatus curse-but it felt worse, because they were coming from his mother. It didn't take more than two seconds for Draco to put two and two together to conclude why his mother had uttered such cruel words.

"It was a misunderstanding." Draco defended himself. He made sure to keep his voice impersonal and nonchalant. He didn't want to show his mother that her words or her accusation had affected him in any sort.

"Misunderstanding." Narcissa said, her grey eyes cutting into Draco's. Even though anger had got the better of Narcissa, she had hoped vehemently that Draco would deny it. But Draco's juvenile and loathsome excuse caused Narcissa to taste bile in her mouth. The sound of her heart breaking was echoing in her body.

"You need to stop this son. I am going to arrange for that girl to back to her friends. To prevent further misunderstandings, of course."

Draco eyes his mother for a few moments before saying, "You would take away _my_ rightful reward?"

"She is a person, Draco. Not an object to possess and show off."

"Careful now, Mother. It may look like you are questioning the great Dark Lord's way of doing things. Some might see it as treachery."

Draco saw amusedly as his mother's mask cracked and incredulousness was painted across her perfect features.

"Are -are you _threatening _me!?" She said in a low dangerous voice.

"Of course not. I am merely warning you." He smirked as he stood up. "You know how much I love you and it would hurt me immensely if anything would happen to you."

"I hope you know what you're doing, son," Is all Narcissa said as Draco took his leave. He closed the door behind him and sighed. Today had been a _long _day.

He opened the door to his bedroom –well, his and Hermione's –and slid in next to her and pulled her against him. He breathed in her earthy smell and her salty tears. And felt his body relax.

_Yes, he knew exactly what he was doing._

_**A/N- HEYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA Did you guys miss me? I sure did miss u guys! My exams were... okay okay (not that u guys care, LOL)**_

_**ANYWAY**_

_**READ AND REVIEW, LOVELIES. TELL ME WHAT THE EFF U THINK OF THIS CHAPTER AND SHIT, YEAH?**_

_**BTW,IS ANYBODY LOOKING FORWARD TO SMUT IN THIS STORY?**_

_**I am still conflicted whether to add it or not. Tell me what you think?**_


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N- **** I am so sorry for such a long delay. I was suffering from a major Writer's Block and and and I am suffering from Typhoid right now? SOB.**

**And my results (remember my N.E. ?) will be announced on 26****th**** May so between recovery from Typhoid and tension about the results and well, reading books and ...lazing around I never quite got to work on the chapter.**

**hahah, I loved your reviews. Here I am giving you a brief respite from the darkness. A long chapter, hopefully. And to the question 'If they will end up together?' Well, I don't know. I WILL KEEP MESSING WITH YOU UNTIL YOU GIVE ME MORE REVIEWS. MUAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA.**

**The next chapter will be up soon. Or as soon as I can write. Where is the story headed? Do I have any idea where this is going? **

**No.**

**Seriously. **

**I am not even kidding.**

**Why are you guys even reading this!? (Don't leave me though!)**

**I know how it will end. And don't worry, it will be a happy ending. (BUT IS IT WITH DRACO? IDK, HAVEN'T DECIDED UPON IT YET...MWAHAHAHAHA) I just have to figure out on how to get there. But do tell me what you think about this chapter? :D**

**And STOP GUESSING! Because you're on the right track.**

**And about smut, um, I'm still undecided on that. Probably...not going to add it...or maybe I will...I don't know. Still unsure about it. Anyway read and review guys!**

Chapter 12

**Five Months ago,**

"Stay away from me! I hate you all !" Hermione screeched, as tears flowed down her cheek and she ran to shut herself up in the room. She snuggled under the sheets and cried, feeling really silly and stupid. She just couldn't understand how mean boys could get.

"Her –Hermione, open the door! We want to apologize!" Blaise's voice said from outside.

"Really, why the hell is she getting so emotional over something so small!?" Hermione could hear Theo say, which only infuriated her further. _Small? _What he said to her was so rude and unimaginable and not at all _small_!

"It must be _that_ time of the month-Ow!" Ron said. She could hear the trio bicker outside and after a really long time a hesitant pounding came.

"Hey, Hermione...Erm, what is happening? Are you okay? Why aren't you opening the door?" Ginny's soft sceptical voice could be heard. Great, now Ginny was here too?

"What the hell did you guys do, anyway?" Hermione heard Ginny say to the boys.

"Nothing! We did absolutely nothing!" Theo's exasperated voice could be heard.

"Yeah, we were just talking one moment and then suddenly BAM! She's running off to her room like a snitch and bawling her eyes out!"

Hermione's blood boiled further and angry tears flowed down her cheeks.

"_Ronald!"_ Ginny could be heard chiding Ron. "What exactly happened? Knowing you, you must have said something stupid..." _You go Ginny! _Hermione thought triumphantly. She still didn't want to open the door. She hated Draco. Stupid, stupid, mean Draco. This was all happening because of _him._

_**An hour ago,**_

She was having a perfectly good morning spending time with Blaise and Theo when Ron popped in.

"So why haven't I seen Draco bring you to the Duelling Club?" Blaise asked Hermione, clearly trying to defuse the tension in the air. Ron's ears went a little red at the mention of blonde but it went unnoticed by Hermione. Theo and Blaise, however, did not fail to notice it.

"Wait –Duelling Club!? There is a _Duelling Club_? I didn't know anything about it and what do you mean you haven't seen Draco _bringing_ me!? Why does _he_ or anyone for that matter, have to _bring_ me!?"

"Well -" Blaise began hesitantly seeing that Hermione had once again gone into her 'Feminist Witch' mode, "It's because...well,"

"Yes?" Hermione awaited his reply impatiently. Blaise looked to Theo for help who only gave him a look which said 'I-ain't-dealing-with-her-craziness'.

"Oh for Merlin's sake! It's cause these puritanical high pure blood societies don't let women do shit without a male _chaperone!_" Ron interrupted bitterly.

It was well known that the Weaselys were excluded from high society; they were seen as blood traitors and they were poor. Hermione's family wasn't ostracized for their secular beliefs because they were affluent. Hermione's face turned a shade of a purple,

"That is _so_ sexist and –and _disgusting_! I cannot believe-" But the boys heard no more as they had mentally blocked her out and only gave her solemn looks. Suddenly Theo chuckled. Hermione's indignation was interrupted and she enquired the reason for his interference and he merely said,

"Well...I –I just noticed your two front teeth _are _a bit bigger than average..."

Hermione's face went red at his crude and impolite assessment. "No they're not!" She exclaimed indignantly.

"Um, actually, Mione, actually they are..." Blaise said with a sympathetic smile and she glared at him.

"Yeah...They're like...like.." Ron began, his whole face scrunched up searching for the correct word. And Hermione, unfortunately, knew exactly what word Ron was looking for and she glared at him trying to telling him to keep his mouth shut but it proved fruitless.

"BUCKTEETH!" Theo suddenly exclaimed with triumph. Hermione winched and groaned at the same time, hiding her face with her palms.

"YES! Exactly! When we were younger, Fred and George would always call her that...!" Ron exclaimed, equally jovial.

Theo and Blaise laughed. "Well, actually, Draco told us last weekend when we met for Duelling!" Blaise explained and even Ron seemed unperturbed by the mention of Draco. Hermione's head snapped up. She noticed how jovial and –and _friendly _they all looked. So mocking her was their common point!? And the reason for this was Draco?

"Draco. Told. You. Guys. This." She muttered through gritted teeth.

"Oh yeah! Well, not only us but the whole club. It was really funny. I think by the end of it people started referring to you from 'Malfoy's Girl' to 'Bucky'. Isn't it funny?"

"YES. VERY. FUNNY." Hermione said, tears stinging her eyes. She couldn't believe that she would start school with people calling her BUCKY. And she was NOT Malfoy's Girl. He always did shit like this. Humiliate her and think it's _so_ _funny. _

"Wait -what? _Malfoy's girl?_" Ron said indignantly. _Of course, that's the part where he decides to step up for me, _Hermione thought angrily.

"You should swing by with Draco sometime. It'll be really fun-" But Theo didn't get to complete as she had shot out from her seat and made a beeline to her bedroom where she now sat bawling her eyes and swearing at the people outside.

"Hermione, can I come in, _please?_" Ginny asked in her sweetest voice. Hermione felt a little embarrassed in the predicament she was in and the fact that Ginny was doing all the pleading just to make Hermione feel better even though Ginny had done nothing.

"Okay...but tell those -_those mongrels _to leave first!" Hermione's muffled voice said.

"Well, you heard her! Now _go_!" Ginny's indignation on her behalf was heart warming.

Hermione opened the door gingerly to see Ginny's concerned face. "Is everything okay?"

Hermione sniffed but nodded, letting her friend in. And then she told Ginny all that happened. "I hate Draco. Sometimes he is such an asshole. He thinks humiliating me is being normal or being whatever he thinks it is. It is so hurtful. Sometimes I cannot even tell when he's being mean, and when he's being normal. And now Theo and Blaise tell me that he told everyone that _his girl," _she said bitterly, "has buckteeth and everyone there refers to me as BUCKY!" Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. "And even THEY think it's _SO FUNNY."_

Ginny rubbed her friend's back in a comforting manner and said, "Well...then why are you spending time with such a -a horrible person. He is evidently hurting you a lot...knowingly or unknowingly and you're clearly much too fragile to take this."

Hermione felt slightly offended at being called 'fragile' but she knew Ginny didn't mean to be mean. And she _was_ saying the truth...

"Well, he—he is mean and cruel at times but he is also.." Her whole face scrunched up unprettily trying to find the right words which could explain why she enjoyed Draco's company. "Well, he's funny. And he never expects me to behave like anyone else. And it's also really fun talking to him." She broke into a huge grin before saying, "And he likes reading books or rather, diss them, but whatever, it's really fun talking to him about books and silence doesn't seem awkward between us...it almost agrees with us and –and even though I talk about things that he doesn't agree with, he never excepts me to give up on it...and also, ..Well because...well-"

"Cause he looks shaggable!" Ginny offered making Hermione burst into nervous bout of laughter.

"Wha- Wha! Of course not, that would be _so _shallow and –and-oh well, what the hell! I suppose he is decent looking!" Hermione giggled.

"Well, now that back to yourself I guess we should go talk to the boys."

And as they stepped out of the room they saw a confused and dazed Draco Malfoy standing in the parlour looking like he had just stepped out of the floo network.

"Well, what is the emergency?" Draco asked looking around at everyone, quite annoyed , probably for being called upon abruptly.

"You called _him_!?" Hermione screeched angrily, feeling a bit humiliated. She didn't want HIM to know what had happened. He wouldn't let her be for months -_years _even! Probably call her some 'funny' name like emo-sap or something worse and creative...

"Well, you were kind of acting out and we –we didn't know what do so we kind of called almost anyone who could fix the situation!" Theo threw his hands up in defence. Blaise and Ron had taken a step back from Hermione. By the emotions she was feeling, they were wise to do so. She wanted to mutilate them and then fry their pie-

"Wait, acting out -what happened?" Draco asked, looking curious. Hermione covered her face with her hands.

"_Nothing happened. _I was not _acting out_! I was being completely rational and I -I was being a _human being!_ Well, I am sorry for _feeling _things and -and" She stopped blubbering abruptly and pulled out her wand, aiming at the three of them, "I hate you guys. But I hate you more." She turned to Draco.

Draco looked clearly baffled by all this and a little annoyed. "What the hell happened?"

"You. You happened. Always mocking me. You little piece of-" She used the famous Bat-Bogey hex Ginny used on her brothers.

"Wh-" But Draco was too slow to defend himself, while the other boys made a run for their lives.

"Never. Mock. Me. Again!" She bellowed as she hit off curses.

And they vowed never to pick on Hermione Lyra again. And they broke this vow precisely three days later.

00000000000000

**PRESENTLY**

Draco entered the bedroom with the intention of waking up Hermione but he found her huddled upon the bed, her arms wrapped around her knees, with her chin propped up on her knees. Her face was painted with frozen sadness. She didn't even register Draco's presence. She just stared off into the fireplace. She couldn't feel much anymore. She felt she didn't have the right the mourn Ron because his death was her fault but she couldn't help it. She couldn't help falling into the abyss that lay beneath her. Gravity wouldn't allow her to repel the strong force. So she let herself fall into the abyss of nothingness and she felt nothing at the moment.

She was jolted from her reverie by a hand on her shoulder –Draco. He had killed Ron. She wanted to lash out on him. Kill him. But she was at more fault than him, wasn't she? If she had never ever spoken to Draco or went out with Ron, this wouldn't have happened. If she wouldn't have -

"Come on, you need to eat something." She heard Draco say but they fell on deaf ears as Hermione was concentrating real hard on which incident in particular had triggered this misfortune for occurring. _Misfortune _was an understatement. But she didn't understand how everything was still supposed to be normal. So she was supposed to get up and eat right now? Why? How can the world go on like nothing happened? Like she hadn't lost her best friend, her childhood friend, her lover? How can the world be so callous? The world should stop. Each time someone lost a loved one, the world should stop and pay its respect. Yes, that's the way it should be. But then, she wondered, did that mean the world would never move? Because death occurred all the time. But this wasn't any death, it was _her RON. _It was –

"Hermione, get up, come on. You need to eat something or you will get sick later." Draco's voice pulled her out of her reverie. She felt a heaviness in her limbs quite unlike any exhaustion she had ever felt before. Draco pulled her up by her forearms and sunk her into the chair. He waited for the house elf to pour tea and then waved it away.

"Here," He pushed the tea and a plate of scones towards her. She perfunctorily picked up her tea cup and sipped on it calmly. She felt so numb. She didn't even have an appetite, she realized. But she didn't mind doing what she was doing just so. She felt odd. Odder than most times she felt odd.

"I'll make it easier for you. This will make it better." She heard Draco say. She turned to face him. His face wasn't blank like she had expected it to be. His face was drawn into a frown. His eyebrows were crinkled.

"I hate you so much," She said softly and let a tear slide down her cheek. "I wish I had never met you."

"I will make it better," He said drawing his wand and pointing at her. Her eyes drew conclusion from his stance. He was going to obliviate her. The world will not stop for Ron. The whole world with its largesse would not stop for one death. But Hermione knew her world would. But not anymore. Her opportunity to grieve and reminisce were going to be snatched away from her. A huge sob broke through her.

"No, _please!_" She began but Draco's hand didn't waver as he waved the wand over her, but it wasn't the spell she was expecting to hear. She felt Draco's presence in her mind. Being an amateur Occlumens she was only able to hold him back for two minutes before he plunged forcefully into her mind sifting through all her memories. She tried to think of something else but the pain in her chest, the surprise of this attack, the grief and the exhaustion was too much for her. Ashamed by her own incompetence Hermione's shields caved in further.

She could feel Draco focusing on her time with Ron; her time with Ron and Harry and her time with Theo. She fell into a heap into her chair when he pulled out. But before she could react, he had casted the obliviate charm on her. Hermione felt her eyes slacken and the world blacken.

Draco sat on the settee waiting for Hermione to stir. He had figured out exactly what he would say to her when she woke up. There was a knock on the door. Draco ignored it irritably.

"Miss. Granger, can I come in?" Draco's eyebrows shot up when he realized it was his mother standing outside. What was she doing here? He opened the door gingerly.

"Good morning mother." Narcissa nodded at her son.

"I need to speak with Miss Granger."

"She's sleeping, as you can see," He said opening the door further and nodding at where Hermione lay in what looked like a deep slumber.

"But its past ten, it isn't healthy for one to sleep so late. She is later for our appointment." Narcissa said admonishingly. "Wake her up."

"No, she is still sick and weak from getting splinched so she could use all the rest she is getting. I think I am going to let her sleep for a while longer."

Narcissa gave her son a cold look before saying, "Well, whenever she wakes up ask her to come to me."

"Oh, that won't be required anymore, mother." Draco said politely.

Narcissa's brown eyes scanned Draco sceptically. "And why is that, may I ask?"

"Because Aunt Bella won't get anything from her now." Draco's face was blank as Narcissa Malfoy tried to decipher her son's words; she couldn't see a strained muscle in his face, no intensity or life in his eyes. What had happened to his son? What had he done now?

"What did you do, Draco?" Narcissa asked, concerned.

"Nothing that didn't need to be done." There was a squealing and banging sound downstairs. "Ah, here she comes. Excuse me mother but I have to tell my dearest Aunt that her exercise of coming here has been rendered futile."

Draco apparated to the living room and found Bellatrix Lestrange torturing some elves.

"Oh Draco, here you are! My favourite" she wrinkles her nose, "Nephew. Now where is that mudblood girl I need to cruciate!?" She let out a cacophonous laughter.

"Oh that won't be required anymore, Aunt Bella. I've already gone through her memories and found nothing of use in it so I obliviated her."

Silence.

"You did WHAT!?"Bellatrix Lestrange shriek shook walls.

"I obliviated Hermione." He said sitting down on the sofa, gesturing Bellatrix to do the same. She remained standing, her hair, electrified and alive, surrounding her face, her black eyes boring into Draco's eyes. She wanted to kill him in the slowest most painful manner known to man. Too bad she couldn't, Draco smirked.

"Now, wh-_why _would you do SOMETHING SO FOOLISH!? Do you have any idea how displeased the Dark Lord will be to hear of this? Tut, tut, tut. I thought I had taught you better. I will _love_ it when your guts are splashed out for the world to see."

"I'm sorry but has hearing abandoned you in any manner because I recall telling you quite clearly that I had gone through her memories and I found hardly any useful information there. She knows nothing."

"But that wasn't for YOU to decide! How DARE you go against my orders, against HIS orders!"

"But I didn't," Draco said calmly. "I did go through her memories. You can use my memories as a vial. I killed Dumbledore and I came home with my reward and then I even killed that filthy blood traitor Weasely, best friend and Right Man of Harry Potter, then I went through the memories of _my _reward to see if anything of importance has been stored in her brain. I could see none except a few which I think would be best if I delivered to the Dark Lord myself."

Bellatrix flared her nostrils angrily. "You dare to interfere with _my _work and _my _orders and now you want to go to the Dark Lord like a little bitch to earn his favour with information that could prove to be frivolous? Do you really want to take that chance? How about you give me the information and I forget this little impertinence?"

Draco smirked and crossed his legs, leaning back into the sofa comfortably before he said, "Now _why_ would I do something so stupid_, my beloved aunt? _And I can assure you that this information is not frivolous. And I would like the Dark Lord to know exactly where it came from."

"You little-" She raised his wand but both of them were interrupted when their Dark Mark burned like coal on their forearms. They immediately pressed their wands on the Dark mark to be transported to the Dark Lord's new location, the Parkinson Manor.

"My Lord," Draco bowed deeply along with other Death Eaters present in the huge ball room which showed the Dark Lord seated on a pedestal with a throne. The Dark Lord took some time to scan his followers.

" Ah, Draco, come forth," The Dark Lord hissed softly. Something huge –Nagini- slithered around the Dark Lord's throne. Draco couldn't suppress a shudder in time and it wasn't gone unnoticed by the Dark Lord who merely snickered. "He is scared of you, Nagini!" The Dark Lord said and hissed something more in parseltongue. The man, if he can be called that, seemed to enjoy himself immensely.

"Come forth, Draco and do not be scared," The Dark Lord smirked. Draco kept his eyes lowered but moved forward. "My Lord," He said reverently.

"So, are you enjoying your reward?" The Dark Lord asked, a knowing smirk lingering on his face.

"The mudblood is treating him like piss, Master," Bellatrix said which made Draco clench his teeth tightly. He wanted to curse her into oblivion. A roar of laughter went through the whole ballroom. Everybody was laughing.

"Harry Potter's best friend, Mudblood Granger, treating our ever so valiant Malfoy as piss, why am I not surprised!?" The Dark Lord laughed. "So how will you remedy the situation?"

"I obliviated her. Only the parts which made her reject me, of course."

"Oh, Draco, Draco, Draco, but the fun is when the girl is resisting. The shrieks, the shrills," He hissed maliciously. Draco felt like he would gag but he gave a tight smile to the Dark Lord.

"You Malfoys never had the stomach for anything interesting. Always the boring people," He laughed. "I hope you extracted any useful information from her before you did the deed?" He added sharply.

"I sifted through her memories before I obliviated her, My Lord." Draco bowed deeply. "And I found some useful information..."

Silence fell. The Dark Lord looked curious. "Hm, well, what is it? Tell us," He demanded.

"Well, you see the Order of the Phoenix has one of its headquarters in the muggle world, it's called the 12 Grimmauld Place. It's located in Borough of Islington, London."

"There could've been more information, My Lord," Bellatrix began but her voice was reduced to a whisper when the Dark Lord's sharp gaze fell on her. Draco stiffened and clenched his fists angrily.

"Oh? And why has that possibility not been investigated before the obliviation was carried out?"

"Because THIS impudent boy cannot comprehend the simplest of orders, My Lord," Bellatrix pointed her wand angrily at Draco who grunted.

"Is that true, Draco? Did you go against the orders prescribed to you?" Draco nodded fearfully at the Dark Lord's soft inquiry. "Well, you have brought useful information to s today but we have to see If the information stands true and you might have lost us good information too...that calls for a little treat, doesn't it?" He snickers but no one follows. "Give the boy a suitable reward for his actions, dear Bella," The Lord says evilly to which Bellatrix responds by guffawing in an undignified manner.

"Ah, yes, my Lord," Draco tensed at this exchange. Today was going to be another very long day.

He was crucioed three times by Bellatrix Lestrange as a punishment for not listening to her orders and more were to come if the information provided was proven false. He also had to submit his memories to prove that he had really extracted the information from Hermione's mind.

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A sharp pain was stabbing Hermione in the head. Why did she feel so weak? There was test in Transfiguration and she had yet to revise twice before she made sure that she knew everything. She could _not_ be falling sick right now. She wondered why the dorm was so quiet. Usually Lavender and Parvati cannot shut their traps and Hannah plays her magical cello in the evenings. She cracked an eyelid open and was presented with an unfamiliar ceiling. She turned her head and bolt upright when she couldn't recognize her surroundings. Where the hell was she!? This looked like...Draco's room but somehow different. A photo frame near the bed stand cleared her doubts. This was definitely Draco's room. But what in Godric's name was she doing here? And wha-what was she wearing? Why was she dressed in Pyjamas that weren't her own? The pounding headache didn't help her woes, either.

The door opened and in came Draco looking all frazzled, his face messy and sweaty. He looked like hell.

"Dra- Draco what—what happened to you and what am I doing here? Why aren't we in school?" Crazy ideas were running through Hermione's head and she wasn't about to entertain any of them before she was given a clear explanation on the situation she had found herself in. Draco's slumped drunk with exhaustion stature wasn't helping the situation.

"Let me just take a shower," He said tiredly slumping into the settee next to the fireplace.

"Um...wait, first tell me what I'm doing here and IS THAT BLOOD ON YOUR SHIRT?" She half shrieked as she jumped out of her bed and sat beside him, trying to decide how to approach the wound.

"It's just dried blood. Don't worry, there are no wounds," He gave her a tired, un-Draco like smile. She scrutinized him worriedly, "Draco's what's happening?"

"What's the last thing you remember?" He asked.

"I -I was in my bed in Hogwarts," she said.

"You mean you don't remember anything from the last two weeks?" He asked, looking puzzled.

"What last two weeks...?"

"Before Christmas?"

"Christmas!? What are you talking about? There's still a month to go for that...right!?" She asked worried. She had started pacing around. "Wait, do you mean to imply that I've lost my memory? Is –is that what you're saying?" Draco nods. "And you spoke as if its past Christmas , are we into the New Year, already?"

Draco nodded tiredly again. He looked very calm, Hermione noticed disturbingly.

"So -so...what happened? What –why am I here? What's happenng?"

"Hermione," Draco said gently,beckoning her to take a seat beside him, "We're in a War."

Her eyes widened. "War? We're in a war? Wait, we're in THE war? You mean Harry's fighting against Vo-"

"Don't say the name!" Draco shouted looking scary. She winced. "Why?"

"There's a taboo on the name. If you speak it, herds of Death Eaters will come here," He explained skimming the back of his knuckles along her cheek. She slapped it away, disturbed by the information.

"Wait,if there's a war going on, why are we HERE? What the hell happened? Did we get caught in a crossfire or something?"

"Yes, Hogwarts was attacked-" She gasped, "A Death Eater attacked you so I brought you here and you woke a week later with holes in your memory."

"But what about Harry and—and Ron and Theo, Ginny, Blaise? Where are they? Are they safe? What about my PARENTS? Oh my Godric, they must be so worried! Do they know where I am? Arethey safe?"

Draco sighed, tiredly. "Hermione, let me take a shower, I am very tired right now. And yes everyone's safe and they know you're with me. They were the ones who told me to take care of you. The Manor's wards are very strong, you see," He said getting up and making his way to the bathroom.

"Pepper will be here in a moment with your dinner and potions. Take them and go to sleep, Hermione. We can talk tomorrow morning," He said shutting the door behind him.

Hermione wanted to ask more questions like how he had gotten hurt in the first place. She didn't want to stay in his home. She wanted to be out there, helping Harry and Theo and the others. She wanted to fight. She wondered how much memory she had lost—how many months she had forgotten. She took her dinner and potions under the curious glances of Pepper who refused to oblige Hermione with any answers, especially when Draco came out of the bath and gave pepper what looked like a sharp look which only made the elf whimper and disapparate as soon as possible.

This should've made her suspicious but the potions made her feel drowsy.

She got under the covers and felt the bed dip beside her, "Draco? Why are you sleeping here?"

"it's my room." He said settling himself beside her.

"Draco?" She yawned. "I might have lost a month's worth of memories..."

"We can talk about this tomorrow, okay? I am very tired right now." He slipped an arm around her waist which made her jump.

"Hey!" She chided pushing his hand away feeling really self-conscious despite the drowsiness. "Draco...Have...Have we done..._that_?" She asked curious and blushing furiously.

"Done what?"

"THAT."

"What is THAT?" He seemed annoyed.

"There is only one _THAT!_"

"What the fuck Hermione - Oh. OH. OHH." He laughed. But it was a sad kind of a laugh. "No,we did not do that. Now can we please sleep? I am fucking tired."

She was going to respond hotly when he said, "Or do you want to do _THAT_?" He snickered.

"You're horrible Draco," She yawned and fell into a deep slumber but not before she heard him say,

"Yes, yes I am."

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**A/N- I really want to know what you guys think about Draco right now.**

**EEEP I FORGOT! I made a tumblr ...do you think thats silly? ;3 :3 :3 :3 **

**I'll give you the URL anyway...**

**FOllow me. Please ? :D**

** .com**


	13. Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

"_Why didn't you listen to me Draco? This situation would never arise if you had..." Narcissa said mournfully. She was crying._

"_Mother, what are you talking about, what situation!?"_

"_Bella wants Miss Granger now. She doesn't take insults lightly, Draco. You should never have done that. And I am sorry, I tried to stop her but she was too powerful," Narcissa sobbed._

"_Mother, what the hell happened? Where is Hermione!?" He barked, now drenched in cold sweat, as he ran towards his bedroom. He was greeted by an irate Bellatrix Lestrange and a puzzled Hermione who sat huddled up against the headboard of the bed._

"_Dra- Draco? What's happening? Wh-why is she here!?" Hermione shrieked while Bellatrix snickered maliciously_

"_Such a weak and pathetic mudblood," She guffawed as she pointed the wand, not toward Hermione, but at Draco, whom she disarmed and set on a body bind curse as she started cruciating Hermione and then finally killed her. Draco lay there, immobilized muttering, don't, please don't._

He bolt upright, unable to open his eyes because there was a bright blinding light.

"Draco, are you okay?" A shaky voice, Hermione's, asked. She was towering over him, with an expression of worry and horror frozen on her face. "You—you were screaming. You-you wouldn't wake up," She said, her voice quivering, her stance rigid and tense as she surveyed him.

"You were having a nightmare. You're okay now," She said gingerly touching his shoulder. Draco took a deep breath. He nodded curtly and surveyed the room, seeing Pepper standing there for the first time.

"What are you doing here?"He asked sharply, he had asked Pepper to lay off Hermione for a long while, for fear that the stupid house elf might let slip something unnecessary.

"I –I called her," Hermione explained. "I couldn't find my wand so I called her to help me wake you up." Draco nodded and ordered her way. Hermione took a seat beside him.

"Are you okay now?" She asked again, looking pretty shaken.

"Did I scare you?" He asks softly.

"You-you wouldn't stop shrieking," She was frowning, there were hints of shadows under her eyes, her hair was frazzled. She wrapped her arms around herself. She looked messy. She looked like the Hermione he would see at the cusp of exams. The thought made him soften and relax a little.

"And –and I couldn't find my wand. _Where is my wand?_" She asked the last question sharply drawing Draco from his reverie.

"It broke," He supplied easily, "During the duel, it got destroyed."

Hermione looked devastated, to say the least. "My –my wand _broke? _I—I what? How am I supposed to fight now!? Do you have a spare wand lying in the manor?"

Draco shook his head solemnly. "Well, then can't you get one for me? It _must_ be easy. Or I could instead ask mother to send one for me. Yeah, that would be better. We have a few spare ones lying at home, just in case. Never could understand why dad insisted on having spare ones at him, but thank Merlin for his OCD tendencies." She chuckles sadly remembering her father and his antics.

She looked convinced. She turned to him, "_When_ are we leaving here, by the way?"

"In a few days," He says. His vague answer annoys Hermione and she frowned again, "I'm already feeling better. We can leave today, really."

"Hermione," He said admonishingly, as if speaking to a child, "I am really tired right now, can we go to sleep and discuss this tomorrow, along with everything else?"

She felt annoyed at his tone but also a bit guilty for pounding him with questions at two in the morning right after he awoke from a nightmare. But not _so _guilty as to apologize so she went with a stubborn, "Fine. _Tomorrow, _then."

Hermione sees Draco pull out his wand from Merlin knows where and extinguish the lights. He lay down on his back and prompted Hermione to do the same.

"Oh, I wanted to say one thing Draco," She said, suddenly feeling undeniable happiness.

She heard Draco sigh and move on to his side to face her, "What is it?"

"I must confess I was really worried for the past few weeks –well, technically it would be a few months ago, but whatever, -that you might give in to the Dark Side and become a Death Eater," She chuckled.

"Her-" He began but she cut him off by saying, "I know, I know. I should've had a little more faith in you. I did...I _do_...but still...I couldn't help worrying, especially when you would start talking about your family duty and honour but now I see all the worrying was for nothing. I can't wait to rub it in Harry and Ron's faces," She chuckled again, blushing.

"I believed in you and _I _was right," She exclaimed haughtily looking at him with a smirk she had learnt from him. His face showed no emotion. His grey eyes weren't boring into hers as she had expected them to. He was looking at something behind her shoulder.

She expected him to smirk or roll his eyes but she didn't expect him to say, "We should sleep, I'm tired," in a deadpanned voice, without meeting her eyes.

"Okay," She says meekly.

Trying not to feel so disappointed and excusing his nonchalance and inconsiderateness for lack of sleep she tried to fall back asleep.

"And I am really proud of you," She quickly added, her words almost getting gobbled up by her yawn. "Because I know how hard it must have been for you to do the right thing considering your father and your...family and their expectations." She said all this quickly because she knew he was tired but she just felt like she _had_ to tell him this _right now. _

She felt the bed move beside her. She turned onto her side to find Draco inching closer, his face a few inches away.

"Do you love me?" He asks in all seriousness. Hermione feels her eyes widen and her cheeks heat up at his question. She averts her gaze, settling on his neck.

"Why do you ask?" She says softly.

"Do you?"

"I don't know...we've been dating five months..." She _knew_ she did, she just didn't know if it was okay to tell him now considering that she hadn't already told him. There must be a reason for that, right? And unless she knew that...how could she wager her heart away like that?

"Seven or eight if you count the months I seem to have forgotten and assuming by your question I had never told you that I loved you but why wouldn't I, unless something happened from preventing from telling you...Did something happen? Did you do something? Did you cheat on me with some _bimbo_?" She asked sharply making Draco chuckle.

"You know I would never cheat on you," He says, still chuckling.

"Yeah, because you know how nasty my hexes can get. Well, what happened?" She demanded, sitting up because this was not a conversation she felt comfortable having while lying down.

He looked up at her form and scowled, "Why do you think something happened?"

_Because I was apprehensive about telling you that I loved you and that was all I had been thinking about for the past week, _She thought scowling. _So unless something major happened, I don't know how I could have not told you that, you dolt!_

But she couldn't say it out loud for fearing rejection and without full knowledge of what had transpired between them in the past two months.

"Nothing happened, Hermione," He said rubbing his eyes tiredly. They had had probably fought over the Light and Dark issue, he mused.

"And do _you_ love _me_?" She asked a bit fearful, but more accusingly. "And I am still waiting for you to tell me what happened."

"Yes," He finally said looking up at her. She decided he looked handsome looking like this too –dazed and tired.

"Yes, what?" She asked stubbornly.

"Yes, I love you too." He gives her a dazzling smile which threatens to make her chest burst with butterflies and all things good. But she finds composure before lying down and saying, "What do you mean you love me _too_!? I never said _I_ loved you," She says smugly. "And you still haven't told me what happened."

He laughed. "Nothing happened. Now can we please sleep? I am dying here."

Hermione scoffed but didn't say anything when Draco put out the lights.

When Draco awoke he saw that the space beside him was empty. Panic shot through him and he scrambled out of the bed alarmed. He saw the bed next to him empty. He started panicking. Had the charms not worked? Impossible. Where was she? And how on earth did she get out of the room?

"Pepper!" He barked. The said elf presented itself, trembling with fear at the Master's anger.

"Where is Hermione?" He asked menacingly. Had the dumb elf told Hermione everything? That was unlikely. But still. Where was she? It would take him hours to look for her in the Manor. How did she even leave the room?

"Miss –Miss is with –with Mistress Malfoy. She-she was summoned by her."

"Didn't I tell you not to let her leave this room under any circumstances?"

"Yes Master pepper has already punished herself ten times but Mistress Narcissa had made a direct order and as the Lady of the Manor she has the power—"

"You don't need to explain the rules of the Manor to me!" He snarled. "Now where are they?" He barked, angrily. He couldn't let his mother spoil all his hard work. He apparated in front of the room and took deep breaths to calm himself down. He opened the door and entered swiftly and stiffly.

"Mother," He said coldly. Narcissa raised an eyebrow and smirked at his obvious discomfort.

"Draco, why don't you have a seat?" His mother coolly said. He ignored her and turned to Hermione.

"Oh Merlin thank Godric you're awake. I thought you were dead or something!" Hermione snorted. She was having tea with Narcissa. She looked like she was having fun. Nothing seemed amiss. So his mother hadn't revealed anything.

"I thought I told you not to leave the room," Draco almost snarled. Hermione scowled, "No. You didn't ask me to do any such thing. And anyway why should I _obey_ you!?"

"Because I thought we had decided to discuss your situation in the morning," He said tersely.

"But you were sleeping and you were already so exhausted so I reckoned I'd let you sleep. For Merlin's sake, can we drop this? It's such an inane topic to argue upon!" Hermione cried, frustrated, setting her cup of tea down.

Draco clenched his teeth angrily, "I suggest we retire to the study to continue last night's discussion."

"Fine, whatever. Thank you, Mrs. Malfoy I will see you later," Hermione smiled apologetically before huffing at Draco and standing up.

"Of course, dear and please call me Narcissa. I hope we can find a way to get your memories back soon," Narcissa said, adding the last part sharply. Draco didn't miss the threat or the use of _we_ in his mother's words. He clenched his fists.

"Draco? May I have a word with you in private?" Narcissa said more than she asked. Hermione took this as her cue to leave.

"I'll go wait in-" Hermione began but was cut off immediately by Draco.

"Pepper!" Draco barked. The said elf appeared. "Take Hermione to the Study," He said sharply.

"That's fine I can find my way-" Hermione began but Draco waved her off, making her furious. She wanted to protest but seeing as Narcissa was still waiting to have a word with Draco, Hermione promised herself that she would pick it up later. As soon as Pepper and Hermione disappeared, Narcissa said angrily,

"Draco, what in Merlin's name do you think you're doing, tampering with Miss Granger's memories!? Wh-"

"Stay out of it, Mother!" Draco hissed angrily.

"How can yo-"

"I know what I am doing!" He snarled, before marching out of the room, but not before hearing his mother say, "You're despicable."

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He had expected to find her ensconced by books but she was standing near the window, looking down at the gardens thoughtfully. "Why did you have Pepper escort me?" Hermione shot at Draco as soon as she saw him.

"Because I didn't want you to pass out suddenly in the hallways, you haven't healed completely," Draco lied smoothly crossing the room to stand before her. She felt placated and then turned her fury on full-blast.

"And how _dare_ you speak to me the way you did! We are not living in the Dark Ages, Draco where you might get away with _ordering _me around! Can you for one moment stop being such a sexist piece of shit!? I am _not_ one to stand your sexist ways," She snarled angrily, poking him in the chest.

Draco's eyebrows disappeared in his hairline. He had been completely taken aback by her words, by her temper, by _her._ He hadn' t seen this fiery, feminist Hermione in ages. Recently she had just been angry and depressed. Not passionate. He realized how much he had missed her. He couldn't help but smile.

"Do _not_ make a joke about this!" She cried, angrily. "And _stop smiling, _For Merlin's sake! You look like a total creep!" She couldn't help rolling her eyes and letting a small smile take over her face when Draco started grinning.

"This is not funny. And I am letting this go for _now_ because we have urgent matters to discuss but the next time you talk like that to me I will hex your balls off!" She threatened. "And you look like a creep, grinning like that!"

He still wouldn't stop grinning. She rolled her eyes and took her seat on the window-seat. He placed a small kiss on her head making her blush. She cleared her throat trying to look all business-like, ignoring the loud blush on her cheeks.

"Now can we begin?" She asked, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Yes," Draco said, still sporting a small smile, and taking a seat next to her.

"So...have you spoken to Harry or Dumbledore or someone? Do you know what's going on there?"

"Yes, I spoke to Potter, he said things are well on their end and he advised us to be where we are, they will call upon us when they need us," Draco said.

"Okay...so what about my memories? What should we do about them? And also, I need a wand. How am I supposed to fight in a battle without a wand? I should send a message to my parents to send me a wand. But how am I supposed to do that? Say, how did you get in touch with Harry? Maybe I could use the same method because Owls are hardly conspicuous and they can be easily intercepted and," She paused glancing at Draco who looked amused, "I was ranting again, wasn't I?"

He nodded.

"It's just that I feel so useless and pathetic right now. I want to go there and help my friends and my family. And I am here without my memories, all weak and pathetic," She sighed.

"Hermione," He sighed, "You are not useless. You owe it to everyone to get better and use whatever resources you have to the best so that you can help others. Anyway, today is February 1st 1997 it seems you have lost at least three months worth of memory. I'll ask Pepper if there are any charms to undo that."

"I'll do some research on it too. And loads of healing spells and curses too. I think we should pack an emergency bag just in case...probably with an Undetectable Extension Charm and..." Her voice trailed off. She had started making mental calculations of all the things but then she abruptly stopped and exclaimed, "But I need a wand first! That's the most important thing right now!"

"The most important thing is for you to get better," Draco said firmly.

She looked really worried. "I have to ask dad to send in a spare wand...How did you get in contact with Harry anyway? Did you send your Patronus? You must have because that's the safest. Yes, so send a patronus to my parents' and tell them I am fine and ask for a spare wand to be sent through a house elf..." She felt guilty saying the last part.

He smirked. "What happened to _spew_? And House Elf Liberation Front?"

"Firstly, it's S.P.E.W. and not '_spew'! _And secondly_,_ yes, so I am merely asking for help from our friends," She said in a no-nonsense tone.

"Anyway that's that. So tell me exactly what happened on the night that we were attacked."

Draco started recounting a false tale which exonerated him of any death or misfortune that befell on Hogwarts that night. Hermione listened attentively. Draco left out the part of Dumbeldore's death. Some close friends had been injured, but mostly everyone was safe.

"So what's our next plan? Has The Order of Phoenix taken control? And does this mean a full-fledged war has broken out or is a hair away from breaking out? How is Hogwarts still open considering this war? Well it is the safest place but how safe can it be now that it has been proven that infiltration is possible. School is the least of our problems right now...I think as long as Hogwarts is open students should be taught defensive spell and healing charms and other things... I can't wait to get back to help everyone. I wonder who is giving the orders and making battle plans?"

"Dumbledore Remus Lupin, Arthur Weasely and Shacklebolt, most probably will be in the main command," She answered her own questions. She looked to Draco, who was listening to her seriously.

"Why are you still here? I thought I told you to send the Patronus!" She said, annoyed.

"I didn't know we were done talking!"

"Well, for now we are. I should go and look into something that might have caused such a severe memory loss and how to reverse it and then I have to make a list of indispensible spells and charms the students should be taught now that we're prone to danger," She got up and headed towards the rows of shelves.

She had gone through more than a dozen books and not found any satisfactory answer for reversal of memory loss. She however did succeed in making a list of important curses and defensive spells for the sake of Harry and Ron and learnt the wand moments using a stick as a mock-wand. And that was how Draco had found her, asleep between towers of books. Like he had expected to.

He tucked her in and slid in next to her.

Hermione awoke in the middle of the night. She felt nauseated. She ran to the bathroom and puked her guts out. Her head hurt. She felt dizzy. Her whole body hurt. Then everything blacked out.

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It was ten in the morning and Draco found himself leaning worriedly over a sleeping Hermione. He had woken up in the middle of the night to find Hermione puking her guts in the toilet. He had cast a cleaning charm before carrying her to bed. He cast some basic healing charms to make sure she hadn't caught anything serious.

Hermione woke up groaning, her head still feeling like lead. She croaked for water and drank it greedily. Draco rubbed her back soothingly and was surprised and hurt when Hermione slapped it away harshly. It must have been apparent because she said, "S-sorry, I –It feels uncomfortable. I feel really sick." Though her apology looked forced and hesitant, Draco didn't question it.

He merely led her to the bathroom to allow her to freshen up. They had breakfast then.

"How are you feeling now?" Draco asked, touching her forehead with the back of her palm. He felt her slightly stiffen but immedieately relaxed.

"A little better...what was wrong with me? Was this some effect of the curse used on me? _Which _curse was it anyway? Something that knocked me out for a week and needed fixing of bones...Avisceria curse? But there are no after effects of vomiting..." Her eyebrows crinkled.

"I don't know. Even the house elves couldn't recognize it. Anyway it doesn't look like it will happen again," Draco said coolly handing her a vial.

"What's this?" She asked frowning.

"A Pepper-Up Potion," Draco said. Hermione nodded and took it. She felt a lot better instantly.

"Now eat," Draco ordered. Hermione complied as her stomach grumbled.

"I wanted to ask you something..." Draco said softly. He didn't notice how Hermione slightly stiffened.

"Well, what is it?"

"It's about Blaise," He said. "I _know_," He said tersely.

"Know what?" Hermione raised her eyebrows questioningly.

"The conversation shared by you, something you never bothered to tell me, ever!" He accused her, narrowing his eyes.

"Which conversation are you talking about!?" She asked, thoroughly annoyed.

"The one where he told you how much he liked you ," Draco said through clenched teeth.

"That. Oh. Oh." She said finally after a pause.

"Yes. _Oh._ Well? What do you have to say for yourself?"

She put her fork down and gave him a defiant look. "Excuse me? What do I have to say for myself? What does that even mean?"

"It means I want to know why you never thought of telling me that my own best mate was going behind my back and making a pass at _my_ girlfriend," His voice was a note away from a scream.

"What do you mean _going behind your back_? Blaise was slightly inebriated and we were just _dating _at the time he told me his feelings. I wasn't your _girlfriend_ yet and also, I didn't tell you about it because it was between _me and Blaise_. It didn't concern you," She said trying her best to reign in her temper. Draco was acting like a possessive psychotic asshole again.

"What do you mean '_It doesn't concern me_'? Everything you do concerns me! You're my-"

"Stop!" Hermione shouted angrily. "Why are we even having this discussion? This happened months ago. It's irrelevant. And to discuss something so frivolous in the time of war with so much energy is so, so silly and immature! You will let this go and we are _done_ speaking of this!" She said harshly, her palms clenched into angry fists, daring Draco to protest. And he did. But in a very Un-Draco like way.

"We are discussing this because I suspect...suspected maybe if you harboured any feelings towards him and therefore didn't bring this up.." He said softly. He was staring at his hands which lay limply in his hands. He heard her exhale slowly.

"I never liked Blaise like that," She said in an assuring voice. "Why are you so insecure?" She asked him softly. His head snapped up, confusion written all over his face. It seemed like the first time someone had put a word to his feelings. Jealous, psychotic asshole were among them but this was not just _a_ word. It was _the correct _word. And Draco didn't like that one bit.

"I am not-" But he couldn't complete because Hermione's expression conveyed that she had already expected him to deny it. Her face held pity. His face contorted in anger, "Get that filthy expression off your face, Granger!" He snarled.

Confusion marred her face along with a frown. "Granger? Who is Granger?" She asked him.

Draco's anger immediately simmered down. He stared at her blankly lips pressed in a thin line. He moved forward and pressed his forehead on her shoulder.

"Don't pity me. I am not insecure," He said in a muffled voice before getting up and leaving. As Draco shut the door behind him he realized that unconsciously he had already accepted Hermione _Granger_. He couldn't understand how or when it happened but he had come to accept Hermione Granger more than Hermione Lyra.

-000-0000000000-

Back inside the room, Hermione crawled into the bed and hugged her knees to her chest tightly for comfort. It had been difficult but she had done it. Her skin was crawling where he had touched it.

She had woken up this morning feeling disoriented and shaken. But with her memories intact. The memories of the past two days had come surging through -everything Draco had done and said. She glanced at her necklace. She had cast an anti-memory charm on it. She had been extremely sceptical whether it would work or not but fortunately it did work.

Some might consider ignorance to be Bliss but not Hermione Granger. She hated ignorance. No matter how painful the truth might be she preferred it over lies.

She felt anger, revulsion and pain on being lied to and fooled by Draco. She never ceased to be amazed by how much he could hurt her.

But she also wanted to cry out with happiness because her Charm had worked and she didn't forget Ron or their love. She would be able to honour his memory now. She would avenge his death. But she needed to act smart.

She wasn't sure what to do when she came to her senses so she decided on keeping up the act. Earning his trust, earning a wand and then escaping.

She felt extremely tired. She couldn't think anymore. She buried herself into the covers and let sleep claim her.

-00000-

**A.N- READ AND REVIEW. TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK,LOVELIES!**


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